Number Of Coronavirus Cases In Japan Rises To 850 - Reports

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th February, 2020) The Japanese authorities have confirmed that 12 more people had tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus over past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 850, the Japanese NHK broadcaster reported on Monday.

Of all those infected, 691 people are passengers or crew members of the virus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship, which is now docked in the Japanese port of Yokohama.

Meanwhile, the Kyodo news agency reported that the country's authorities might address the nation on Tuesday, urging that the public events are neither organized nor attended in the next two weeks, which are considered critical to preventing the spread of the virus.

Japan has the biggest cluster of infections outside China, where the disease emerged in December. More than 79,000 people were infected worldwide, and over 2,600 people died.