Abe: concern Over coronavirus widespread in Japan

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday said there is concern that the COVID-19 virus may be widespread in Japan, based on a government-commissioned expert analysis.

He also announced the establishment of a new government task force that is backed by a special law enacted earlier this month to allow Abe to declare a state of emergency.

Nationwide, Japan had 93 new cases on Wednesday, including 41 in Tokyo alone.

The number has doubled from past few weeks, amid a rise of untraceable infections in Tokyo, Osaka and other cities, while a growing number of cases were brought in from abroad, according to Health Minister Katsunobu Kato.

A sharp increase prompted alarmed Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike to hold an emergency news conference on  Wednesday to ask Tokyo residents to work from home as much as possible and stay home during the coming weekend, suggesting a possible so-called "lockdown" if the infection turns "explosive."

Japan had 2,003 confirmed cases Wednesday, including 712 from a cruise ship, with 55 deaths.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness.

The new coronavirus has caused a global pandemic that has sickened at least 470,000 and killed 21,000 worldwide, crippled economies and forced restrictions on the movement of millions of people in an effort to stop the virus from spreading further and overwhelming health care systems.