Daily Updates – Information on the Spread of Coronavirus in Japan

Confirmed cases of coronavirus in Japan:

・ People infected inside Japan/infected and then traveled from China:16203

・ Number of infected on cruise ship stranded in Japan: 712

・ Number of infected on charter flight from Japan: 13

・Total infected: 16915

・Total infected in Kyoto:358

(May 15)

Currently known facts:

(1) Status of those infected

・Among those infected, there are people with mild to no symptoms and some who have already made a recovery. 

・ Analyzing cases within Japan, it seems that fevers and respiratory symptoms often persist for about one week. Additionally, many people are recorded as feeling fatigued.

・ However, some cases are showing severe symptoms of pneumonia requiring intensive care including artificial ventilation. It has also been reported that cases of coronavirus are requiring longer hospital stays than regular seasonally based cases of the flu.

According to current surveys, elderly people and those with underlying disorders are considered to be at higher risk of severe symptoms.

(2) Spread of the Coronavirus

Currently, the coronavirus is primarily believed to spread through person-to-person contact and respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

While airborne infections are currently believed to not be a threat, the possibility of infection without being in close proximity to the respiratory droplets of an infected person is not being ruled out. 

As there are cases of the virus spreading from those with little or no symptoms, the likelihood to infect and severity of symptoms do not necessarily correlate.

This aspect of the coronavirus makes it extremely difficult to deal with.

(Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare website https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/newpage_00006.html)

(3) Effective Prevention Methods

See this article: Coronavirus – Methods and Things Available in Japan to Help Prevent Infection