Covid-19 cases pass 200 in Hiroshima Pref, Okayama cluster, YouTuber cases in Yamaguchi

July 20, 2020

The total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Hiroshima Prefecture since the outbreak began passed 200 last Friday.

At time of writing, excluding reinfections, the total of cases in Hiroshima City now stands at 112 and across the prefecture at 205. A new cluster of cases came to light in Okayama over the weekend and new cases were confirmed in Yamaguchi Prefecture linked to a YouTuber.

8 new cases of Covid-19 in Hiroshima City announced July 17-19

Of 5 new Hiroshima City cases announced Friday, July 17, 2 are colleagues of a man in his 20s who tested positive July 16. They all attended the same dinner party in a restaurant on July 13.

The other 3 are a man in his 20s & two women whose ages are being withheld. One woman had a meal with a friend from Tokyo on June 26, developed a fever on July 3 and lost sense of smell and taste 7 July. She was tested on 7/16 as symptoms persisted. The other works at a Tapioca drink shop Gelafru in the Al Park shopping center in Nishi-ku. The shopping center closed the food court after hearing of the positive test and conducted disinfection and 5 coworkers underwent PCR tests, all of which came back negative. The food court reopened on Saturday, July 18.

Sources: Chugoku Shinbun | Al Park

2 Hiroshima City women tested positive for Covid-19 on July 17, it was announced on July 18. One (Hiroshima City Case #111) is a family member of one of the women who tested positive as announced on July 17. She stayed overnight somewhere outside Hiroshima Prefecture in the Chugoku region on June 24 and had met friends outside Hiroshima Prefecture.

The other (Hiroshima City Case #112) is a company worker in her 20s who on July 11 worked in close proximity for several hours to a man who was announced to have Covid-19 on July 15.

Source: Chugoku Shinbun

An unemployed man in his 30s who lives alone in Hiroshina City also tested positive for Covid-19 on July 18 (He is Hiroshima City Case #113) and was moved to Funairi hospital on July 19. He developed a fever and loss of senses of taste and smell on July 16 and visited a doctor on April 18 after experiencing respiratory distress.

Source: Chugoku Shinbun

3 cases of Covid-19 connected to traveling YouTuber

3 people in Yamaguchi Prefecture who have had contact with Hezumaryu, a YouTuber who tested positive for coronavirus on July 15 and is currently under arrest connected with a different matter, at a tested positive for Covid-19 over the weekend. They bumped into him in Yuda Onsen while he was touring the area. Read more about the controversy surrounding him here.

Okayama City nightlife cluster

5 people in Okayama City tested positive for Covid-19 over the weekend. 3 are men in their late teens and 20s who work at an undisclosed restaurant where business people wine and dine. The other two are a man in his 40s and a woman in her 20s with whom he was dining. The 5 new cases in Okayama City are being treated as a cluster, the first in the city.

The restaurant has closed temporarily and is cooperating with authorities with contact tracing. So far, all 12 other staff have tested negative, as have a family member and 5 coworkers of the man in his 40s and 9 friends of his dining companion. Authorities estimate that the restaurant entertained around 300 customers between July 1 and July 16.

Source: Sanyo News

New cases of Covid-19 were also announced in Fukuyama and Kurashiki, one in each city.

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