TOKYO: Japan confirmed 1,362 new cases of novel coronavirus infection on Saturday, with the daily number standing below 2,000 for the seventh consecutive day.

The number of severely ill coronavirus patients fell by eight from Friday to 693, according to the health ministry. New coronavirus fatalities came to 65, including 11 in Tokyo and 13 in Chiba Prefecture, east of the Japanese capital.

In Tokyo, the number of people who were newly confirmed positive for the coronavirus came to 369 on Saturday. The daily count of new infection cases in the capital stood below 500 for the seventh straight day.

Of Saturday’s total in Tokyo, 63 people are in their 20s, 62 in their 30s and 55 in their 50s. People aged 65 or over accounted for 92. The number of coronavirus patient with severe symptoms under the Tokyo metropolitan government’s criteria increased by two to 104.

In Hokkaido, 39 new infection cases were reported, marking the first figure below 40 since Oct. 27 last year. The daily infection count in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, totaled 142, standing below 200 for eight days in a row.

JIJI Press