TOKYO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Japan's health ministry and local governments said that the number of COVID-19 infections increased by one on Tuesday to stand at a total of 568 infected people in Japan as of 10:30 a.m. local time here.
Of the 568 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 111 cases and declared a state of emergency over the situation.
The death toll in Japan from the virus currently stands at 31, according to the health ministry, with the figure including those from the Diamond Princess.
Aichi Prefecture, meanwhile, has 99 confirmed cases, Osaka 73, Tokyo 67, Kanagawa 43 and Hyogo Prefecture has confirmed 25 COVID-19 infections, according to the latest statistics from health ministry and local authorities.
The health ministry said there are currently 31 patients considered severely ill and are on ventilators to receive respiratory assistance or have been admitted to intensive care units for medical treatment.
The ministry also said that a total of 427 people have been discharged from hospitals after their symptoms improved.
