TOKYO: Japan confirmed a record 1,131 severely ill COVID-19 patients on Friday, up by 33 from the previous day.

The country had a record 148 new deaths linked to COVID-19.

The number of new infection cases stood at 6,056, topping 6,000 for the first time since Jan. 16.

Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, confirmed 1,005 new cases, the first above 1,000 in five days, and a record 50 new deaths.

In the Osaka city of Kadoma, a cluster involving 61 cases has been reported at a nursing home for the elderly, leading to the deaths of 13 residents in their 60s to 90s.

In Tokyo, the number of new cases came to 907, the first above 900 in six days.

The average daily tally of new cases in the capital stood at 766.4 in the last week, down 0.9 pct from the preceding week’s 773.4. The number of severely ill patients decreased by three from the previous day to 69.

Among other prefectures, the number of new cases hit record highs in Aichi, at 443, Fukuoka, at 472, Gifu, at 130, Okayama, at 129, Oita, at 78, Fukushima, at 71, Saga, at 59, Kagawa, at 50, and Ishikawa, at 47.

In Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, the occupancy rate of hospital beds for severely ill COVID-19 patients hit a record 83.0 pct.

Kobe, the capital of Hyogo, has had 133 new cases at an elderly care facility in a cluster infection since April 14, leaving 25 residents dead.

JIJI Press