Photo/Illutration A number of workers and customers at a nightclub in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, have been infected with the new coronavirus. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Japan confirmed 225 new cases of the novel coronavirus on April 29 as of 9:30 p.m., pushing the nation's total number of infections past 14,000.

A total of 22 people died from COVID-19 nationwide, nine in Tokyo, hiking the nation's death toll to 435.

An 85-year-old Tokyo man died on April 11 a day after testing negative for the novel coronavirus, only to be found positive in a second test performed after his death, health authorities reported.

The resident of Kodaira, in western Tokyo, experienced a fever April 3 and underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on April 8 after it failed to wane, according to investigative sources into his death.

His results came back negative on April 10. However, his condition deteriorated rapidly the next day and he was rushed to a hospital, but medical personnel were unable to revive him.

On April 13, the hospital conducted another PCR test on his body, which came back positive a day later.

This is not the first time PCR tests have been found in error, with other cases occasionally reported since the outbreak began of patients who had tested negative on their first test later testing positive and vice versa.

Tokyo on April 29 confirmed 47 new infections, while Osaka Prefecture reported 44 and Kanagawa Prefecture had 25.

In Toyama Prefecture, three people, including a female nurse, were newly confirmed infected with the virus at a health care facility for the elderly where group infections have been occurring.

In Fukuoka and Saga prefectures, a number of people associated with nightclubs tested positive.