Tokyo reports lowest number of new COVID-19 cases since Nov. 24

Tokyo confirmed 276 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the lowest figure since Nov. 24 and the 11-straight day with fewer than 1,000 COVID-19 cases.

The figure came the same day as Japan formally entered the first day of the extended coronavirus state of emergency. Under the initial emergency declaration, cases of the deadly virus have fallen nationwide, though fatalities still remain high for many areas, including Tokyo and Osaka.

Monday’s figure in the capital also saw severe cases under the metropolitan government’s standards fall as the number dipped by seven from the previous day to 104.

Of the total new cases in Tokyo, 54 were in their 20s, 41 in their 30s and 36 in their 50s. People age 65 or older accounted for 97 cases. The cumulative number of cases in the capital is now 104,121.

Tokyo’s daily figure comes after 5,424 tests were conducted Friday. It usually takes around three days for tests to produce results.

The weekly number of newly confirmed cases has dropped for the fourth consecutive week in Japan.

As of 10 a.m. Monday, the cumulative number of infections, including cruise ship passengers and crew members, came to 406,289, up 15,601 from a week before. The margin of rise shrank from the previous week’s 24,260.

Ahead of Monday’s daily figure for the capital, Tokyo had the largest number of cumulative infections out of the country’s 47 prefectures at 103,845, up 4,004. Osaka Prefecture came second at 45,076, up 1,354, while Kanagawa Prefecture was third at 42,281, up 1,519.

Meanwhile, the nationwide death toll linked to the virus grew by 675 over the course of the week to 6,441. The cumulative death toll was highest in Tokyo at 1,023, up 137, followed by Osaka at 998, up 72, and the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido at 620, up 18.

Nationwide, 1,630 new cases of the virus were reported on Sunday, with the daily count standing below 2,000 for the first time in six days.