Photo/Illutration Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura takes questions from reporters in Osaka city on April 22. (Yuki Kubota)

OSAKA--Medical professionals account for about 10 percent of all novel coronavirus cases in Osaka Prefecture, with in-hospital infections suspected at four institutions.

A total of 1,380 cases, the second highest number after Tokyo, were confirmed in the prefecture as of April 22, according to the prefectural government.

Of these, 151 were health care workers.

While the number of newly confirmed cases has been decreasing in the prefecture, infections have been spreading at medical institutions.

Of the 151 infected medical professionals, 60 were working at Namihaya Rehabilitation Hospital in Osaka’s Ikuno Ward, where group infections involving patients occurred.

At the Daini Osaka Police Hospital, 19 people, including patients, had tested positive as of April 22.

The hospital has suspended outpatient services and is not accepting new inpatients until April 26. The city’s public health center is investigating the possibility that cluster infections occurred at the hospital.

There are 35 confirmed cases at Meijibashi Hospital in Matsubara city and five at Shichiyama hospital in the town of Kumatori.

The prefecture disclosed the names of the four hospitals since it is highly likely that in-hospital infections occurred at the facilities.

None of the hospitals have treated patients with the coronavirus, according to the prefecture.

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura pledged to assist hospitals.

“We will send medical supplies to hospitals and urge them to take thorough measures to prevent a further spread of infections,” Yoshimura said at a news conference on April 22. “It is also necessary to provide instruction and training to health care workers.”

Yoshimura also said he will consider distributing protective gear, medical face masks and other supplies to general hospitals.

 (This article was written by Yuki Kubota and Chinami Tajika.)

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