Japan reported 2,395 new cases of coronavirus and 54 additional deaths on Monday, according to a statement from the country’s Ministry of Health.
Of these, 481 were in the capital Tokyo, where the total number of people infected with the virus since the beginning of the pandemic now stands at 57,040.
It is the highest number of cases registered in Tokyo since Monday, when the pandemic started. Japan usually records numbers in lower case on Mondays, as many medical facilities are closed on weekends.
The total number of nationally confirmed cases in Japan now stands at 223,832, while the death toll has reached 3,319.
While the latest national figures fell from a daily high on Friday, the Ministry of Health said 661 patients were in serious condition on Monday, two more than the day before.
Prime Minister’s commitment: At a government meeting of the coronavirus working group, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged to ensure that health care services are available to deal with Covid-19 infections during the end-of-year and New Year holidays.
“There is no holiday for (the virus),” he said.