TOKYO: The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients in Japan rose by 26 from the previous day to 2,000 on Friday, hitting a record high for the 15th straight day, the health ministry said.

The total reached the 2,000 mark for the first time, exceeding by far the 1,413 figure at the peak of the fourth wave of novel coronavirus infections in spring this year.

On Friday, Japan confirmed 24,200 new cases of novel coronavirus infection. New COVID-19 fatalities came to 57.

New infection cases in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, totaled a record 2,347, exceeding 2,000 for the second successive day.

Tokyo confirmed 4,227 new infection cases, down by 1,178 from a week before, the metropolitan government said.

New COVID-19 deaths in the Japanese capital totaled 18, standing above 10 for the third consecutive day. Fatal cases were confirmed among people ranging from those in their 30s to 90s.

The seven-day average of daily new infection cases stood at 4,184.6, down 11.4 pct.

The number of coronavirus patients with severe symptoms, under the metropolitan government’s standards, rose by 18 from Thursday to a record 294.

JIJI Press