Asia-Pacific Coronavirus News: Japan reports 309 new cases of COVID-19, cases in Malaysia pass 4,000-mark

Source: Xinhua| 2020-04-08 21:42:35|Editor: huaxia

Few visitors are seen at the famous sightseeing spot Asakusa, in Tokyo, Japan, April 7, 2020.(Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

-- Japan reports 309 new cases of the COVID-19, with the total number standing at 4,768;

-- Malaysia reports 156 news cases, with the total number standing at 4,119;

-- Chinese medical team arrives in Myanmar to help fight against the pandemic;

-- Singaporean prime minister calls for close cooperation among all countries to curb the COVID-19;

-- Foreign ministers of the ASEAN will hold video conference to discuss collective response to the COVID-19;

-- Australia confirmed cases reach 5,965 as health minister issues plea for public to maintain social distancing;

-- Thailand reports 111 new cases, 2,369 in total.

HONG KONG, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific countries on Wednesday:

TOKYO -- Japan's health ministry and local governments said that 309 new daily COVID-19 infections were recorded nationwide, bringing the national total to 4,768 cases, with Tokyo recording a new daily record of 144 cases.

The rise in cases across Japan and another significant spike in Tokyo, the epicenter of the nation's pandemic, comes on the heels of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declaring a state of emergency over the pandemic situation here a day earlier.

Health staff enter a building under the enhanced movement control order in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)

KUALA LUMPUR -- The number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia totaled at 4,119 after 156 new cases were recorded, the Health Ministry said.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said at a press briefing that the country also recorded more discharged among the infections in the past 24 hours, with 166 newly recovered cases added up to a total 1,487 who have been cured and discharged from hospital.

Meanwhile, 76 are currently being held in intensive care and 45 of those are in need of assisted breathing.

Members of the Chinese medical expert team pose for a photo as they arrive at the Yangon International Airport in Yangon, Myanmar, April 8, 2020. (Xinhua/U Aung)

YANGON -- A medical team from China arrived here to assist the Myanmar government's ongoing efforts in fight against COVID-19.

The 12-membered Chinese medical team includes medical experts from several hospitals from Yunnan province in the fields of infectious control and prevention of respiratory and severe diseases, clinic treatment and laboratory testing.

Photo shows an empty road in Singapore on April 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey)

SINGAPORE -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for close cooperation among all countries to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in a video message posted on Facebook.

He said in the video message, which is for the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Office for a virtual meeting of health ministers, all countries must cooperate closely with one another and learn from one another's experience.

"This is the only way humanity can bring this pandemic under control," he said.

People wearing masks are seen on a street in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Mao Pengfei)

PHNOM PENH -- Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold a meeting via video conference on Thursday to discuss collective response to the rapid spread of the COVID-19, said a Cambodian foreign ministry statement.

The ASEAN Coordinating Council meeting on COVID-19 via video conference was initiated by Vietnam, the current chair of ASEAN, the statement said, adding that Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will take part in the meeting from Phnom Penh.

Photo taken on April 6 shows the floor sign reminding customers in shops to keep safe social distance due to COVID-19 in Canberra, Australia. (Xinhua/Chu Chen)

CANBERRA -- There have been 5,956 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the country's Department of Health. It represents an increase of about 2 percent from 5,844 cases as of Tuesday morning.

The death toll has risen to 50 and approximately 300 patients are being treated for the virus in hospitals - less than 40 of who are on ventilators.

Policemen assemble for the curfew in Bangkok, Thailand, April 3, 2020. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)

BANGKOK -- Thailand reported new 111 cases of COVID-19, with three fatalities who are all foreigners, the government said.

Total infections were up to 2,369, with the death toll at 30.

A cluster infection of 42 members of a group of 76 Thais, returning from a religious event in Indonesia, has resulted in a rebound in Thailand's daily new infections to 111, after 52 on Monday and 38 Tuesday, according to the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).

A man gets rapid test during the COVID-19 outbreak at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Indonesia, April 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Surya Betha)

JAKARTA -- The Indonesian government said the death toll of the COVID-19 in the country climbed to 240, the highest in Southeast Asia.

At a press conference, the government's spokesperson for the COVID-19 Achmad Yurianto said that the number of confirmed cases jumped to 2,956 and as many as 222 patients have recovered from the disease.

Staff disinfect the classroom at the Jukjeon Campus of Dankook University in Yongin of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, April 7, 2020. (NEWSIS/Handout via Xinhua)

SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that his government will add about 56 trillion won (46 billion U.S. dollars) for additional economic stimulus package to help prevail over the economic fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak across the world.

"The global economy is falling into an extreme downturn. Our economy with high dependence on foreign trade is suffering a tsunami-like shock. (We) are in a dark tunnel with no end in sight," Moon said during the fourth weekly meeting of the emergency economic council, according to the presidential Blue House.

Medical workers take part in training for treating COVID-19 patients at a comprehensive hospital in Auckland, New Zealand, April 3, 2020. (New Zealand Ministry of Health/Handout via Xinhua)

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand reported 26 new confirmed and 24 new probable cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed and probable infections to 1,210 in the country.

One person has died from COVID-19 so far, and 282 people had recovered, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield from the Ministry of Health said at a press conference.

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