TOKYO: Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan topped 200,000 on Monday as a third wave of infections is hitting both urban and regional areas.

On Monday, 1,751 new cases were confirmed across the country, including 392 in Tokyo.

The death toll from the coronavirus rose by 33 to 2,963. The new fatalities included eight in Hokkaido and six in Hyogo Prefecture.

The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients rose by 10 to 603, according to the health ministry.

After the country’s first case was confirmed on Jan. 16., it took seven months for the tally to top 50,000, on Aug. 10, and 80 more days to surpass 100,000, on Oct. 29.

After the pace of infections started to accelerate further in November, the tally rose by 50,000 in 33 days to hit 150,000 on Dec. 1, and climbed by another 50,000 in about three weeks.

Of the country’s 47 prefecture, Tokyo has had the largest number of cases so far, followed by Osaka, Kanagawa, Aichi and Hokkaido. In Tokyo, the monthly number of new cases exceeded 10,000 for the first time this month.

Akita and Tottori are the only prefectures with fewer than 100 cases.

The pace of growth in fatal cases is also accelerating. After the first fatal COVID-19 case was confirmed on Feb. 13, the death toll topped 1,000 on July 20 and 2,000 on Nov. 22, nearing 3,000 about one month later.

Tokyo has recorded the largest number of fatalities, followed by Osaka, Hokkaido, Kanagawa and Aichi.

JIJI Press