Japan confirmed 4,171 new cases of novel coronavirus infection on Monday, with the daily count slipping below 5,000 for the first time since July 26.
The figure fell by almost half from the tally of 8,227 a week earlier.
The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients across the country dropped by 35 from Sunday to 1,975. Fifty new deaths linked to the virus were confirmed.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government said Monday that 611 people newly tested positive for the coronavirus, down by 357 from a week before, marking the 22nd straight day of a week-on-week drop in new cases.
The daily count stood below 700 for the first time since July 12.
The government’s state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic was extended in Tokyo and 18 other prefectures on Monday to the end of this month.
The number of COVID-19 patients with serious symptoms under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s criteria came to 225, down by five from Sunday. Twelve deaths linked to COVID-19 were confirmed in the capital Monday.
The seven-day average of newly confirmed coronavirus cases in Tokyo stood at 1,333 as of Monday, down from 2,414 a week earlier.
The health ministry said Monday that the nationwide number of coronavirus patients in a serious condition stood at 1,975, down by 35 from the previous day.
Japan confirmed 7,212 new cases of coronavirus infection Sunday, down by 5,694 from a week earlier, with the daily count falling below 8,000 for the first time since July 27.
Forty-one COVID-19 fatalities were reported Sunday.
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