The Hokkaido Prefectural Government headquarters is seen in Sapporo's Chuo Ward on Oct. 17, 2018. (Mainichi/Taichi Kaizuka)

       SAPPORO -- Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido confirmed 35 new cases of coronavirus infection on Nov. 16, the highest number in any prefecture in the country, following multiple reports of cluster infections.

       This is the first time in about a month that the number of newly infected people in Hokkaido has exceeded 30 since Oct. 17. There were no reports of deaths. The total number of infected people in the prefecture has reached 60,942.

       The prefectural capital Sapporo has seen its first new cluster of cases in about three weeks. A total of 17 people at a local medical institution -- nine patients in their 20s to 90s and eight employees -- have tested positive for the coronavirus.

       In addition, clusters have been occurring one after another in the city of Asahikawa. One more person at a private nursing home has tested positive, where the cluster was announced on Nov. 13, bringing the total to nine. According to the Asahikawa public health center, of the 222 people whose infections have been confirmed since Oct. 1, 176 people, or about 80%, have not been vaccinated.

       (Japanese original by Junichi Tsuchiya, Hokkaido News Department, and Nobuaki Tsuchiya, Asahikawa Bureau)

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