TOKYO: Japan’s daily new COVID-19 cases topped 25,000 for the first time on Thursday, marking a single-day record for the second consecutive day.

The country reported 25,156 new cases, and new cases hit record highs in 22 of its 47 prefectures. There were 26 new deaths from COVID-19 across the country.

The number of patients with severe symptoms across Japan grew by 49 from Wednesday to 1,765, hitting a record high for the seventh straight day.

In Tokyo, new infection cases rose by 545 from a week before to 5,534, the second-highest daily tally and the highest for the day of the week.

In the Japanese capital, people in their 20s made up the largest group of new cases by age, at 1,674, followed by 1,106 in their 30s and 911 in their 40s.

People aged 65 or over, for whom there has been progress in COVID-19 vaccinations, accounted for 243, or about 4 pct of the total.

The seven-day average of new cases in Tokyo rose 20.1 pct from a week before to 4,774.4. The number of patients with severe symptoms measured under the metropolitan government’s criteria fell by one from Wednesday to 274.

JIJI Press