TOKYO: The number of novel coronavirus infection cases newly confirmed in Japan came to 8,234 on Monday, falling below 10,000 for the first time since Aug. 2.

On the day, 40 fatal cases were reported across the country, including 16 in Tokyo.

The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients fell by nine from Sunday to 2,198, according to the health ministry.

In Tokyo, 968 new COVID-19 infections were confirmed, down by 947 from a week before, with the daily figure standing below 1,000 for the first time since July 19, when the tally came to 727.

The daily count in the Japanese capital fell week on week for 15 days in a row.

The seven-day average of new cases in Tokyo was 2,414 as of Monday, down 34.9 pct from a week before.

On Monday, people in their 20s made up the largest group by age of new infection cases in Tokyo, at 244, followed by those in their 30s, at 191, and those in their 40s, at 188. Newly infected people aged 19 or younger totaled 181 while those aged 65 or older came to 41.

Under the metropolitan government’s criteria, the number of COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms in Tokyo rose by three from the previous day to 267.

Elsewhere in the country, 1,190 new infections were confirmed in the central prefecture of Aichi, 971 in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, and 924 in the western prefecture of Osaka. Kanagawa and Osaka logged fewer than 1,000 new cases for the first time since July 27 and Aug. 16, respectively.

JIJI Press