Japan to temporarily close all schools

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he will ask all elementary and high schools across the country to temporarily close beginning Monday.

The development comes after a man in his 80s who was infected with the new coronavirus died in the northern prefecture of Hokkaido. Fifteen new cases of infection were reported there on Thursday.

Hokkaido’s governor said the man who died had pre-existing conditions.

See also: Coronavirus confirmed in Japanese woman for second time, after initial recovery

Officials say 2 of the 15 new cases are children under 10 years of age.

The latest cases bring the number of confirmed infections in Hokkaido to 54, the most in Japan.

All elementary and junior high schools in the prefecture will be closed for about a week.

Infected people there include students, a teacher, and a school-bus driver.

Meanwhile health officials in the western prefecture of Osaka revealed a woman in her 40s has tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time.

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