Amid fears of the spread of the COVID-19 in Japan, several universities in the country have released their preliminary schedules of university entrance exams after the first round of a national exam. They have taken varied measures to deal with COVID-19 cases, according to Asahi Shimbun, one of the five national newspapers in Japan.

Asahi Shimbun reported on February 19 that some universities have decided not to subject COVID-19 patients to these supplementary examinations, while others have decided to use the results of the national exam to determine whether candidates pass or fail. With the spread of the COVID-19, Japanese universities are likely to adjust the corresponding countermeasures in the future.

A spokesperson for the University of Tokyo said Wednesday that people infected with the COVID-19 would not be able to take its exam, and urged other students to wear masks on the day of the test. The varsity did not announce a make-up exam. "There are some measures that will be taken according to the situation in the future," the spokesperson said.

Osaka University, Kyoto University and Nagoya University are also not planning to arrange make-up exams. Nagoya University posted a message on its website urging COVID-19 patients to refrain from taking the exam to prevent others from being infected.

Meanwhile, Saga University has decided that the confirmed patients of the COVID-19 do not need to take a separate university entrance exam. The university will decide whether the infected candidates are qualified or not based on their national exam results and personal application materials.

The relevant person in charge said they "took the corresponding countermeasure from the viewpoint that assures examinee enter a higher school" as teachers are concerned about the outbreak of the COVID-19 and they do not know for how long the situation will last.

Moreover, Tokyo Institute of Technology has decided to carry out a make-up exam and asks the infected students to contact the university in advance.

So far, 705 cases of COVID-19 infections have been confirmed in Japan, among which 621 have been confirmed on the Diamond Princess cruise ship at Yokohama port.