TOKYO: Japan confirmed 25,876 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, a record high for the third consecutive day.

The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients rose by 51 from Thursday to 1,816, a record high for the eighth straight day. There were 36 new deaths linked to COVID-19.

New infection cases hit record highs in 15 of the country’s 47 prefectures, including Kanagawa, at 2,878, Osaka, at 2,586, Chiba, at 1,778, and Aichi, at 1,347.

In Tokyo, new cases came to 5,405, topping 5,000 for the third consecutive day, but down by 368 from a record high of 5,773 marked a week before. Cumulative cases in the capital surpassed 300,000.

Among new cases in Tokyo, people in their 20s accounted for the largest group by age, at 1,686, followed by 1,080 in their 30s, 891 in their 40s and 562 in their 50s. There were 257 new cases among people aged 65 or older.

The number of COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms in Tokyo, counted under the metropolitan government’s criteria, fell by one from Thursday to 273.

JIJI Press