The Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed a smaller number of new COVID-19 infections on Monday, but there were few signs of relief after a new infection cluster appeared to emerge at yet another hospital in the capital.
Monday's new cases in Tokyo came to 91, bringing the total number of infections in the capital to 2,159, metropolitan government officials said. The daily figure fell for the second day in a row. But the number of virus tests conducted on weekends tends to be small, and Monday's figure may be a result of that factor.
At Nakano Egota Hospital in Tokyo's Nakano Ward a total of 92 people, including patients and medical staff, have tested positive since early this month, triggering fears of another cluster at a hospital in the capital.
A similar cluster has shaken Eiju General Hospital in Taito Ward, where more than 160 patients and staff have been infected, leaving 20 of the patients dead as of Friday.
Metropolitan government officials are on high alert against the further spread of in-hospital infections at the two hospitals and are carefully working to trace the infection routes.
Tokyo remains in a state of emergency with six other prefectures and is trying to reduce person-to-person contact by 80 percent to contain the pandemic.