The number of A/H1N1 cases in Japan has reached 144 after 48 more infections were confirmed on Monday in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures.

The number may keep rising as many in the region reported symptoms of the new flu.

Japanese government on Monday convened an emergency task force meeting to discuss countermeasures on the spread of the epidemic.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Taro Aso called the public to remain calm, saying the Japanese government has no plans to ask citizens to refrain from holding meetings or scale down corporate activity.

The government task force decided not to upgrade its measures aimed at coping with the spread of the new flu from the current phase 2, which refers to an early stage of domestic outbreak, according to Kyodo News.