Fifty-seven new coronavirus infection cases were confirmed in Japan on Friday, including 35 cases reported in Tokyo. 

The daily figure in Japan's capital topped 30 for the second consecutive day.

The number of deaths linked to the virus in the country grew five to 959.

Fatal cases were recorded in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo.

East Japan Railway Co.'s  Hachioji branch office that a train driver in his 40s has been found infected with the virus. He operated trains between Tokyo Station and Otsuki Station in Yamanashi Prefecture, west of Tokyo, on the Chuo Line and between Tachikawa and Ome stations, both in Tokyo, on the Ome Line.

The infected driver started coughing on June 11, after that, he developed a fever and tested positive for COVID-19 on June 18, JR East officials said.

He wore a face mask at work from June 11 through Monday and had no close contact with any passengers, according to the officials.

Hokkaido saw three new infection cases.   

The central prefecture of Mie had its first COVID-19 case in 55 days, with a caregiver in her 50s confirmed positive for the virus. She had recovered from coronavirus infection.

In Shizuoka Prefecture, also central Japan, a girl under 3 was confirmed infected.

The infected girl was a A resident from a different prefecture that was staying at a relative's home in Shizuoka from June 9. The girl is currently in a hospital in Shizuoka and was found positive in a polymerase chain reaction test that was conducted after her father turned out positive on Wednesday. The father was staying in his home outside Shizuoka.

JIJI Press