TOKYO: The daily number of novel coronavirus cases confirmed in Japan stood at 2,764 on Monday, falling below 3,000 for the first time in 28 days.

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms stood at a record high of 1,017 as of the day, up by 10 from Sunday, according to the health ministry. The cumulative death toll from the virus rose by 74 to 5,207.

In Tokyo, 618 people were newly found positive for the virus on Monday, with the daily figure in the Japanese capital slipping below 700 for the first time in 28 days. Of the day’s total in Tokyo, 117 people are in their 20s, 114 in their 30s, 93 in their 50s, 83 in their 40s, 50 in their 70s and 49 in their 60s, according to the metropolitan government. People aged 65 or over accounted for 121.

The number of severely ill coronavirus patients in Tokyo under the metropolitan government’s standards decreased by eight from Sunday to 148.

The health ministry said that the coronavirus variant spreading in Britain has been detected from a Tokyo man in his 40s. The man had been suspected to be the source of infection for a Tokyo girl aged under 10 who tested positive for the variant on Friday.

The man has never been abroad, and his case is thus suspected to be community-acquired infection.

The cumulative number of coronavirus variant infection cases in Japan rose to 51.

JIJI Press