Japan reports 2,497 new COVID-19 cases, 160,906 in total

The confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan have increased by 2,497 to reach 160,906 as of Saturday night, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities.

The figure excludes the 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo earlier in the year.

The death toll in Japan from the pneumonia-causing virus currently stands at 2,332, with 13 new fatalities announced Saturday. The death toll includes 13 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

The health ministry also said there are currently 520 patients considered severely ill with ventilators or in intensive care units, hitting a record-high since the onset of the outbreak.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday that an increase in the number of severely ill patients has already started to put a strain on hospitals.

In Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan's outbreak, 584 new cases were reported on Saturday, a new record-high for the capital of 14 million population, with the cumulative total reaching 43,377, the highest among the country's 47 prefectures.