THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
March 4, 2020 at 15:20 JST
The Shimonoseki city government in Yamaguchi Prefecture holds a meeting on March 4 to discuss coronavirus countermeasures after a man in the city tested positive for the virus. (Shinjiro Sadamatsu)
The number of confirmed infections of the new coronavirus in Japan has exceeded 1,000, including the first positive test in the western Chugoku region, according to government data compiled by The Asahi Shimbun.
Most of the 1,001 cases were passengers and crew members from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
But infections have been reported across Japan, from Okinawa Prefecture in the south to hard-hit Hokkaido in the north. Twelve people have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
On March 4, the Shimonoseki city government in Yamaguchi Prefecture said a company employee who lives in the city and had traveled around Kyushu last month tested positive for the virus.
The man in his 40s is in stable condition at a medical institution in the prefecture.
His family members have not displayed any symptoms, such as fevers, according to the prefectural and city governments.
The patient has no record of recent overseas travel, but he did take business trips to Oita Prefecture on Feb. 12 and Feb. 14, and visited Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Oita prefectures from Feb. 15 to Feb. 21 before returning to Shimonoseki, the governments said.
He developed a fever on Feb. 23 and saw a doctor on Feb. 25. His condition did not improve and he started coughing up sputum on March 2.
Hospitalized, he tested positive for the coronavirus on March 3.
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