COVID-19 infections in Japan rise to 510, death toll at 16

TOKYO - Japan's health ministry and local governments said that the number of COVID-19 infections increased by two on Tuesday to stand at a total of 510 infected people in Japan as of 10:30 am local time here.

Of the 510 confirmed cases in Japan, not including those related to the virus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship previously quarantined in Yokohama, the majority are in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido which has confirmed 108 cases and declared a state of emergency over the situation.

Aichi Prefecture, meanwhile, has 86 confirmed cases, Tokyo 64, Osaka 55, Kanagawa 41 and Chiba Prefecture has confirmed 22 COVID-19 infections, according to the latest statistics from health ministry and local authorities.

The health ministry said there are currently 33 patients considered severely ill and are on ventilators to receive respiratory assistance or have been admitted to intensive care units for medical treatment.

The death toll in Japan from the virus currently stands at 16, according to the health ministry, with the figure including those from the Diamond Princess.

The ministry also said that a total of 346 people have been discharged from hospitals after recovery.