#Takaji Wakita

[pneumostelos]

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Uma nova variante do coronavírus foi detectada em quatro viajantes do estado do Amazonas, disse o Ministério da Saúde do Japão neste domingo, a mais recente mutação do vírus descoberta.

“No momento, não há provas de que a nova variante encontrada nos brasileiros seja altamente infecciosa”, disse Takaji Wakita, chefe do Instituto Nacional de Doenças Infecciosas, em um comunicado do ministério da saúde.

... estudos estão em andamento sobre a eficácia das vacinas contra a nova variante, que difere das variantes altamente infecciosas encontradas pela primeira vez na Grã-Bretanha e na África do Sul, que geraram um aumento nos casos.

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[geekytrainer8]

Now it's Japan: the country detects a new variant of coronavirus | Digital Trends Spanish

Now it’s Japan: the country detects a new variant of coronavirus | Digital Trends Spanish

A new variant of coronavirus has been detected in four people who arrived in Tokyo, Japan, from Brazil, as reported by the main health organ of the Japanese nation on Sunday, January 10, 2021. All four passengers, who arrived at Haneda International Airport on January 2, tested positive after spending time in quarantine at the facility. Takaji Wakita, director of the National Institute of…

[hoicodo]

Nhật Bản phát hiện biến thể COVID-19 mới không giống biến thể ở Anh

Nhật Bản phát hiện biến thể COVID-19 mới không giống biến thể ở Anh

Một biến thể COVID-19 mới đã được phát hiện ở bốn du khách đến từ bang Amazonas của Brazil, Bộ Y tế Nhật Bản cho biết. Điểm đáng chú ý là biển thể này khác hoàn toàn với biến thể mới được cho là lây lan nhanh hơn được tìm thấy tại Anh và Nam Phi. Japan Times ngày 11/1 dẫn lời ông Takaji Wakita, Viện trưởng Viện các bệnh truyền nhiễm quốc gia Nhật Bản (NIID), cho biết: “Hiện tại, không có bằng…

[usnewslatest]

Japan detected a new strain of coronavirus from Brazil

Japan detected a new strain of coronavirus from Brazil

Sunday, January 10, the Ministry of Health of Japan reported four cases of infection with the new strain of coronavirus from Brazil. It is noted that a new mutation of the virus was recorded in four people who returned from the Latin American country. The new strain differs from variants first detected in Britain or South Africa, said Dr. Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of…

[recantodaeducacao]

Governo japonês encontra nova variante da Covid-19 em brasileiros no país

Uma nova variante da Covid-19 foi detectada em quatro viajantes brasileiros, do Estado do Amazonas, no Japão. A informação foi anunciada pelo Ministério da Saúde do país neste domingo, 19. Este é mais um caso que mostra a evolução do vírus que provocou a pandemia. Os brasileiros chegaram em Tóquio pelo aeroporto Haneda no dia 2 de janeiro. Dos quatro viajantes, um homem na faixa dos 40 anos apresentou problemas respiratórios. Uma mulher de cerca de 30 anos relatou dor de cabeça e garganta e um adolescente teve febre. Segundo o governo do Japão, a outra brasileira, uma adolescente, não apresentou sintomas.

Um oficial do Ministério disse que estudos estão em andamento para determinar a eficácia das vacinas contra a nova variante — diferente das encontradas no Reino Unido e na África do Sul e que levaram à disparada de novos casos. “Até o momento, não há indícios que mostram que a nova variante encontrada nos brasileiros é altamente infecciosa”, disse Takaji Wakita, chefe do Instituto Nacional de Doenças Infecciosas do Japão. Após o crescimento no número de novos casos de coronavírus, o país declarou estado de emergência em Tóquio e cidades ao redor da capital na quinta-feira, 7. O país já soma quase 290 mil casos de covid-19 e com 4.061 óbitos.

Leia também

Butantan diz que está fornecendo dados da vacina solicitados pela Anvisa; confira quais são eles

África atinge marca de 3 milhões de casos de coronavírus

Brasil tem primeiro caso no mundo de reinfecção da Covid-19 com mutação da África do Sul

Outras variantes

As variantes do coronavírus originárias do Reino Unido e da África do Sul compartilham uma mutação comum chamada N501Y, uma leve alteração na proteína spike que envolve o vírus. Acredita-se que essa mudança é a razão pela qual eles se disseminam tão rapidamente. A variante já foi detectada em São Paulo, em dezembro. A maior parte das vacinas sendo lançadas no mundo treina o corpo para reconhecer essa proteína e combatê-la. Nesta semana, a farmacêutica Pfizer divulgou os resultados de um estudo que mostrou a eficácia da vacina da empresa contra 16 novas variantes. No entanto, a pesquisa ainda precisa incluir outras mutações.

Na África do Sul, por exemplo, a variante tem uma mutação adicional chamada E484K — já identificada em amostras no Rio de Janeiro e Bahia. A A E484K não estava entre as testadas na pesquisa. A farmacêutica diz que ela é a próxima da lista. O caso registrado na Bahia é de uma profissional de saúde que foi reinfectada pelo coronavírus em outubro. Ela não tinha histórico de viagem à África do Sul e também revelou aos pesquisadores não saber se alguém com quem teve contato esteve no país.

*Com informações do Estadão Conteúdo

The post Governo japonês encontra nova variante da Covid-19 em brasileiros no país first appeared on Recanto da educação. from WordPress https://ift.tt/2XFymwJ via IFTTT

[publicidadesp]

Governo japonês encontra nova variante da Covid-19 em brasileiros no país

Uma nova variante da Covid-19 foi detectada em quatro viajantes brasileiros, do Estado do Amazonas, no Japão. A informação foi anunciada pelo Ministério da Saúde do país neste domingo, 19. Este é mais um caso que mostra a evolução do vírus que provocou a pandemia. Os brasileiros chegaram em Tóquio pelo aeroporto Haneda no dia 2 de janeiro. Dos quatro viajantes, um homem na faixa dos 40 anos apresentou problemas respiratórios. Uma mulher de cerca de 30 anos relatou dor de cabeça e garganta e um adolescente teve febre. Segundo o governo do Japão, a outra brasileira, uma adolescente, não apresentou sintomas.

Um oficial do Ministério disse que estudos estão em andamento para determinar a eficácia das vacinas contra a nova variante — diferente das encontradas no Reino Unido e na África do Sul e que levaram à disparada de novos casos. “Até o momento, não há indícios que mostram que a nova variante encontrada nos brasileiros é altamente infecciosa”, disse Takaji Wakita, chefe do Instituto Nacional de Doenças Infecciosas do Japão. Após o crescimento no número de novos casos de coronavírus, o país declarou estado de emergência em Tóquio e cidades ao redor da capital na quinta-feira, 7. O país já soma quase 290 mil casos de covid-19 e com 4.061 óbitos.

Leia também

Butantan diz que está fornecendo dados da vacina solicitados pela Anvisa; confira quais são eles

África atinge marca de 3 milhões de casos de coronavírus

Brasil tem primeiro caso no mundo de reinfecção da Covid-19 com mutação da África do Sul

Outras variantes

As variantes do coronavírus originárias do Reino Unido e da África do Sul compartilham uma mutação comum chamada N501Y, uma leve alteração na proteína spike que envolve o vírus. Acredita-se que essa mudança é a razão pela qual eles se disseminam tão rapidamente. A variante já foi detectada em São Paulo, em dezembro. A maior parte das vacinas sendo lançadas no mundo treina o corpo para reconhecer essa proteína e combatê-la. Nesta semana, a farmacêutica Pfizer divulgou os resultados de um estudo que mostrou a eficácia da vacina da empresa contra 16 novas variantes. No entanto, a pesquisa ainda precisa incluir outras mutações.

Na África do Sul, por exemplo, a variante tem uma mutação adicional chamada E484K — já identificada em amostras no Rio de Janeiro e Bahia. A A E484K não estava entre as testadas na pesquisa. A farmacêutica diz que ela é a próxima da lista. O caso registrado na Bahia é de uma profissional de saúde que foi reinfectada pelo coronavírus em outubro. Ela não tinha histórico de viagem à África do Sul e também revelou aos pesquisadores não saber se alguém com quem teve contato esteve no país.

*Com informações do Estadão Conteúdo

The post Governo japonês encontra nova variante da Covid-19 em brasileiros no país first appeared on Publicidade SP. from WordPress https://ift.tt/3q9srMC via IFTTT

[prensard]

Detectan en Japón cuatro infectados con una nueva variante del coronavirus importada desde Brasil

Detectan en Japón cuatro infectados con una nueva variante del coronavirus importada desde Brasil

Esta nueva cepa es diferente de las que se habían identificado antes en Gran Bretaña y Sudáfrica, aseguran las autoridades japonesas. RT RÍO DE JANEIRO.- Las autoridades sanitarias de Japón han anunciado la detección de una nueva variante de coronavirus importada a la isla a través de cuatro viajeros llegados de Brasil, informa CNA. Takaji Wakita, director del Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades…

[go-21newstv]

New Coronavirus Variant Found In Travellers From Brazil - Japan Government

New Coronavirus Variant Found In Travellers From Brazil – Japan Government

TOKYO: A new coronavirus variant was detected in four travellers from Brazil, Japan’s Health Ministry said on Sunday, marking an advance in changes to the pandemic virus. The new variant is different from those first found in Britain and South Africa, although the three of them share some common mutation, said Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. “I understand a…

[bigyack-com]

What a Party in Japan May Tell Us About the Coronavirus’s Spread

Rain was falling on the night of Jan. 18, so the windows of the Tokyo party boat were shut. Inside were about 90 guests of a local taxi association who were celebrating the new year as the vessel floated down the Sumida River. Also on board, unbeknown to them, was a coronavirus capable of spreading ferociously. It did just that. A driver in his 70s soon fell ill with fever; he later tested positive. The same day as his diagnosis, his mother-in-law died; she also was infected. Officials then discovered that 10 others from the boat were, too, including an employee who had served passengers from Wuhan, China. Still more who did not attend the party caught the virus after coming into contact with those who did. As public health officials look for clues to one of the biggest uncertainties about the new coronavirus epidemic — whether it will eventually expand rapidly beyond its center in China — they are closely studying clusters of cases that have emerged recently in Japan. The issue has taken on more urgency as passengers have begun walking off a contaminated cruise ship in Yokohama where 621 people have tested positive for the virus and two later died. Experts fear that some who were cleared to leave an onboard quarantine could later test positive, spreading infections on land in the same way that the party boat has done. Alarmed officials are rushing to learn more about how the virus is transmitted, including how many of those infected experience mild symptoms or none at all, and whether it can be spread by people who are symptom-free. Katsunobu Kato, Japan’s health minister, said the country had entered “another phase” in its fight against the coronavirus. “Doctors at the medical institutes share the recognition that the numbers of infection cases will increase in the future and that it’s necessary to take firm measures,” he said at a news conference on Sunday. The government announced a $139 million package of urgent measures to contain the outbreak, including strengthening its testing and quarantining capacity. Concern about the transmission of the virus has grown with cluster cases in Japan, which has reported 86 infections outside the cruise ship, as well as in Singapore, where 84 infections have been confirmed, and in South Korea, which has had 104. China has reported more than 74,000 cases and more than 2,100 deaths. The figure in South Korea more than doubled on Thursday and officials tied 43 cases to a church in the city of Daegu. In Singapore, the government has identified five clusters and is investigating the connections within them. The virus has been detected in at least 25 other countries, with most infections involving people who had traveled from China. Updated Feb. 10, 2020 What is a Coronavirus? It is a novel virus named for the crown-like spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people, and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses from the common cold to more dangerous conditions like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. How contagious is the virus? According to preliminary research, it seems moderately infectious, similar to SARS, and is possibly transmitted through the air. Scientists have estimated that each infected person could spread it to somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5 people without effective containment measures. How worried should I be? While the virus is a serious public health concern, the risk to most people outside China remains very low, and seasonal flu is a more immediate threat. Who is working to contain the virus? World Health Organization officials have praised China’s aggressive response to the virus by closing transportation, schools and markets. This week, a team of experts from the W.H.O. arrived in Beijing to offer assistance. What if I’m traveling? The United States and Australia are temporarily denying entry to noncitizens who recently traveled to China and several airlines have canceled flights. How do I keep myself and others safe? Washing your hands frequently is the most important thing you can do, along with staying at home when you’re sick. “What we are worried about is sustained transmission in the community in countries outside China,” said Raina MacIntyre, head of the biosecurity program at the Kirby Institute of the University of New South Wales in Sydney. “Because once it becomes widespread and there’s transmission happening in two continents, that means it’s a pandemic.” Public health experts say most viral clusters are hard to investigate, and that is especially true with the current coronavirus outbreak, in which many infected people say they have no symptoms. If asymptomatic people can spread the virus, it will be much harder to slow its spread, as carriers transmit it unwittingly. “There are ongoing silent transmissions” because of the very nature of the virus, Shigeru Omi, regional director emeritus of the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific region, said in a news conference on Monday. David Heymann, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said there was no definitive evidence yet that people who are asymptomatic can pass on infections. He said experts who are trying to understand the virus are waiting for information from countries outside China that are closely documenting cases. “China has such an overwhelming number of patients that they are not able to do it meticulously,” said Dr. Heymann, a former chief of communicable diseases at the World Health Organization. “How easily does it transmit from person to person?” he said. “We don’t know that yet.” Virologists see two likely explanations for the spread of clusters. In one, a “superspreader” — a person who has the propensity to spew more germs than others — transmits the virus to a large group of people. Some of these superspreaders have no symptoms and feel well enough to go out, or they encounter a group of people with low resistance. During the outbreak of SARS in 2002-03, the biggest reported superspreader was a 26-year-old airport worker admitted to Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong. He infected 112 people, including every doctor and nurse who treated him. Alternatively, people can independently catch a virus from contaminated surfaces. It is unclear how long the new coronavirus can survive on surfaces, but studies of other such viruses have found they can stay active for a week or more. Outside the Diamond Princess cruise ship, the largest human-to-human cluster in Japan involves the Tokyo party boat. Four days after the river cruise, on Jan. 22, the mother-in-law of the taxi driver in his 70s said she felt fatigued. Six days later, the woman, who was in her 80s, sought medical help but was told to monitor her condition. On Feb. 1, she was hospitalized after being given a diagnosis of pneumonia. Her respiratory condition worsened, and she was moved to another hospital on Feb. 6. She was given the coronavirus test on Feb. 12. A day later, she died, and the results of her test soon came back positive. Her death was the first from the virus in Japan. After health officials in Tokyo discovered that the infected taxi driver was the son-in-law of the woman who had died, they started tracing his contacts. They discovered that he had attended the boat party, and tested everyone who had been there. Seven others who were confirmed infected said they had no symptoms. Others, like a female employee of the taxi drivers association who did not attend the party, contracted the virus after having casual interactions with those who did. In yet another case, a doctor in his 60s tested positive after dining with a nurse — the wife of a taxi driver — who had been at the party. He, too, did not have symptoms. Another cluster of cases in Japan has occurred in Wakayama Prefecture, where a surgeon in a hospital, a colleague of his, the colleague’s wife and their child tested positive for the virus, as well as two patients who visited the hospital. One of them was a farmer in his 70s who went to the hospital after the first doctor had stopped working. The mother, wife and younger brother of a patient in his 60s from the same hospital also came down with the coronavirus, as did a nurse in his 30s who had temporarily worked on the Diamond Princess as part of the disaster response. Yoshinobu Nisaka, the prefecture’s governor, said he could not rule out the possibility that infections had occurred within the hospital. “We’re having trouble tracking down how these people were infected,” he said at a news conference on Saturday. In another cluster in Japan, four people from Aichi Prefecture were found to be infected: a couple who had traveled back from Hawaii and their friends. Takaji Wakita, the head of Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said that while it would be difficult to stop the transmission of the virus, the outbreak could be contained. He urged people during a news conference to consider telecommuting and to refrain from having meetings that are not urgent. Dominic Dwyer, a medical virologist at the University of Sydney in Australia, said it was reassuring that governments were identifying clusters, because that was a sign that their public health surveillance was working. “I suppose what one is concerned about is, are there other clusters going on that they haven’t recognized?” he said. “Identifying clusters is a sign of good laboratory investigation. But as for how good that is, time will tell.” Read the full article

[rnomics]

Rosmarinic acid is a novel inhibitor for Hepatitis B virus replication targeting viral epsilon #RNA-polymerase interaction

by Yuta Tsukamoto, Sotaro Ikeda, Koji Uwai, Riho Taguchi, Kazuaki Chayama, Takemasa Sakaguchi, Ryo Narita, Wan-Ling Yao, Fumihiko Takeuchi, Yukie Otakaki, Koichi Watashi, Takaji Wakita, Hiroki Kato, Takashi Fujita Current therapeutics for hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients such as nucleoside analogs (NAs) are effective; however, new antiviral drugs against HBV are still desired. Since the interaction between the epsilon (ε) sequence of HBV pregenomic #RNA and viral polymerase (Pol) is a key step in the HBV replication cycle, we aimed to identify small compounds for its inhibition, and established a pull-down assay system for the detection of ε-#RNA-binding-Pol. Screening showed that 5 out of 3,965 compounds inhibited ε-Pol binding, and we identified rosmarinic acid, which exhibited specificity, as a potential antiviral agent. In order to examine the anti-HBV effects of rosmarinic acid, HBV-infected primary human hepatocytes from a humanized mouse liver were treated with rosmarinic acid. The rosmarinic acid treatment decreased HBV components including the amounts of extracellular HBV DNA with negligible cytotoxicity. We also investigated the combined effects of rosmarinic acid and the NA, lamivudine. rosmarinic acid slightly enhanced the anti-HBV activity of lamivudine, suggesting that the HBV replication step targeted by rosmarinic acid is distinct from that of NA. We analyzed an additional 25 rosmarinic acid derivatives, and found that 5 also inhibited ε-Pol. Structural comparisons between these derivatives implied that the “two phenolic hydroxyl groups at both ends” and the “caffeic acid-like structure” of rosmarinic acid are critical for the inhibition of ε-Pol binding. Collectively, our results demonstrate that rosmarinic acid inhibits HBV replication in HBV-infected cells by specifically targeting ε-Pol binding. http://bit.ly/2LiF8kr #PLoS

[mastcomm]

What a Party in Japan May Tell Us About the Coronavirus’s Spread

Rain was falling on the night of Jan. 18, so the windows of the Tokyo party boat were shut. Inside were about 90 guests of a local taxi association who were celebrating the new year as the vessel floated down the Sumida River. Also on board, unbeknown to them, was a coronavirus capable of spreading ferociously.

It did just that. A driver in his 70s soon fell ill with fever; he later tested positive. The same day as his diagnosis, his mother-in-law died; she also was infected. Officials then discovered that 10 others from the boat were, too, including an employee who had served passengers from Wuhan, China. Still more who did not attend the party caught the virus after coming into contact with those who did.

As public health officials look for clues to one of the biggest uncertainties about the new coronavirus epidemic — whether it will eventually expand rapidly beyond its center in China — they are closely studying clusters of cases that have emerged recently in Japan.

The issue has taken on more urgency as passengers have begun walking off a contaminated cruise ship in Yokohama where 621 people have tested positive for the virus and two later died. Experts fear that some who were cleared to leave an onboard quarantine could later test positive, spreading infections on land in the same way that the party boat has done.

Alarmed officials are rushing to learn more about how the virus is transmitted, including how many of those infected experience mild symptoms or none at all, and whether it can be spread by people who are symptom-free.

Katsunobu Kato, Japan’s health minister, said the country had entered “another phase” in its fight against the coronavirus.

“Doctors at the medical institutes share the recognition that the numbers of infection cases will increase in the future and that it’s necessary to take firm measures,” he said at a news conference on Sunday. The government announced a $139 million package of urgent measures to contain the outbreak, including strengthening its testing and quarantining capacity.

Concern about the transmission of the virus has grown with cluster cases in Japan, which has reported 86 infections outside the cruise ship, as well as in Singapore, where 84 infections have been confirmed, and in South Korea, which has had 104. China has reported more than 74,000 cases and more than 2,100 deaths.

The figure in South Korea more than doubled on Thursday and officials tied 43 cases to a church in the city of Daegu. In Singapore, the government has identified five clusters and is investigating the connections within them. The virus has been detected in at least 25 other countries, with most infections involving people who had traveled from China.

Updated Feb. 10, 2020

What is a Coronavirus? It is a novel virus named for the crown-like spikes that protrude from its surface. The coronavirus can infect both animals and people, and can cause a range of respiratory illnesses from the common cold to more dangerous conditions like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS.

How contagious is the virus? According to preliminary research, it seems moderately infectious, similar to SARS, and is possibly transmitted through the air. Scientists have estimated that each infected person could spread it to somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5 people without effective containment measures.

How worried should I be? While the virus is a serious public health concern, the risk to most people outside China remains very low, and seasonal flu is a more immediate threat.

Who is working to contain the virus? World Health Organization officials have praised China’s aggressive response to the virus by closing transportation, schools and markets. This week, a team of experts from the W.H.O. arrived in Beijing to offer assistance.

What if I’m traveling? The United States and Australia are temporarily denying entry to noncitizens who recently traveled to China and several airlines have canceled flights.

How do I keep myself and others safe? Washing your hands frequently is the most important thing you can do, along with staying at home when you’re sick.

“What we are worried about is sustained transmission in the community in countries outside China,” said Raina MacIntyre, head of the biosecurity program at the Kirby Institute of the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

“Because once it becomes widespread and there’s transmission happening in two continents, that means it’s a pandemic.”

Public health experts say most viral clusters are hard to investigate, and that is especially true with the current coronavirus outbreak, in which many infected people say they have no symptoms. If asymptomatic people can spread the virus, it will be much harder to slow its spread, as carriers transmit it unwittingly.

“There are ongoing silent transmissions” because of the very nature of the virus, Shigeru Omi, regional director emeritus of the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific region, said in a news conference on Monday.

David Heymann, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said there was no definitive evidence yet that people who are asymptomatic can pass on infections.

He said experts who are trying to understand the virus are waiting for information from countries outside China that are closely documenting cases.

“China has such an overwhelming number of patients that they are not able to do it meticulously,” said Dr. Heymann, a former chief of communicable diseases at the World Health Organization.

“How easily does it transmit from person to person?” he said. “We don’t know that yet.”

Virologists see two likely explanations for the spread of clusters. In one, a “superspreader” — a person who has the propensity to spew more germs than others — transmits the virus to a large group of people. Some of these superspreaders have no symptoms and feel well enough to go out, or they encounter a group of people with low resistance.

During the outbreak of SARS in 2002-03, the biggest reported superspreader was a 26-year-old airport worker admitted to Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong. He infected 112 people, including every doctor and nurse who treated him.

Alternatively, people can independently catch a virus from contaminated surfaces. It is unclear how long the new coronavirus can survive on surfaces, but studies of other such viruses have found they can stay active for a week or more.

Outside the Diamond Princess cruise ship, the largest human-to-human cluster in Japan involves the Tokyo party boat.

Four days after the river cruise, on Jan. 22, the mother-in-law of the taxi driver in his 70s said she felt fatigued. Six days later, the woman, who was in her 80s, sought medical help but was told to monitor her condition. On Feb. 1, she was hospitalized after being given a diagnosis of pneumonia.

Her respiratory condition worsened, and she was moved to another hospital on Feb. 6. She was given the coronavirus test on Feb. 12. A day later, she died, and the results of her test soon came back positive. Her death was the first from the virus in Japan.

After health officials in Tokyo discovered that the infected taxi driver was the son-in-law of the woman who had died, they started tracing his contacts. They discovered that he had attended the boat party, and tested everyone who had been there. Seven others who were confirmed infected said they had no symptoms.

Others, like a female employee of the taxi drivers association who did not attend the party, contracted the virus after having casual interactions with those who did. In yet another case, a doctor in his 60s tested positive after dining with a nurse — the wife of a taxi driver — who had been at the party. He, too, did not have symptoms.

Another cluster of cases in Japan has occurred in Wakayama Prefecture, where a surgeon in a hospital, a colleague of his, the colleague’s wife and their child tested positive for the virus, as well as two patients who visited the hospital. One of them was a farmer in his 70s who went to the hospital after the first doctor had stopped working.

The mother, wife and younger brother of a patient in his 60s from the same hospital also came down with the coronavirus, as did a nurse in his 30s who had temporarily worked on the Diamond Princess as part of the disaster response.

Yoshinobu Nisaka, the prefecture’s governor, said he could not rule out the possibility that infections had occurred within the hospital. “We’re having trouble tracking down how these people were infected,” he said at a news conference on Saturday.

In another cluster in Japan, four people from Aichi Prefecture were found to be infected: a couple who had traveled back from Hawaii and their friends.

Takaji Wakita, the head of Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said that while it would be difficult to stop the transmission of the virus, the outbreak could be contained. He urged people during a news conference to consider telecommuting and to refrain from having meetings that are not urgent.

Dominic Dwyer, a medical virologist at the University of Sydney in Australia, said it was reassuring that governments were identifying clusters, because that was a sign that their public health surveillance was working.

“I suppose what one is concerned about is, are there other clusters going on that they haven’t recognized?” he said. “Identifying clusters is a sign of good laboratory investigation. But as for how good that is, time will tell.”

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