Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday (Feb. 27) that all elementary, junior-high and high schools in Japan will be asked to close from Monday (March 2) amid growing fears surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak.

Japan currently has at least 186 confirmed cases and seven deaths, excluding those from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, according to Kyodo News.

All schools in Japan will be closed until early April, till the end of their spring vacation, Japan Times reported.

Schools close after Hokkaido students infected

Most of the 1,600 elementary and junior high schools in Hokkaido have decided to close for a week the same day as part of efforts to curb the Covid-19 outbreak.

Over 50 infections have been confirmed in the prefecture, including students.

“We will make our best efforts to prevent further spread of infection to protect the lives and health of the people in Hokkaido,” government official Naomichi Suzuki said.

Some schools in other parts of the Japan have also decided to scale down activities.

In Tokyo, Ochanomizu University said it will close affiliated kindergarten, elementary school, and junior and senior high schools from Friday (Feb. 28) for about a month until early April, including a spring break.

Prince Hisahito, the 13-year-old nephew of the Japanese Emperor Naruhito, attends the junior high school affiliated with the university.

A school official said that the move was unprecedented.

Top image via Stephane Bidouze/Shutterstock