Most of Japan's prefectures are seeing a rise in the number of novel coronavirus infections, health ministry data showed Saturday, with Osaka Prefecture logging a single-day record of 666 cases, further fueling concerns over a sharp resurgence.
Of Japan's 47 prefectures, 42 have reported an increase in virus cases compared with the previous week, putting a strain on the country's medical system amid a rise in occupancy rates in hospital beds for COVID-19 patients, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
The tally comes after the central government designated Osaka, Hyogo and Miyagi prefectures for stronger anti-virus measures effective from the coming Monday for one month. Steps include introducing fines for eateries that ignore mandates to shorten operating hours.
Osaka reported over 600 daily cases for the third consecutive day, with Saturday's tally exceeding the previous record of 654 on Jan. 8 during the third wave of the pandemic.
The western Japan prefecture's daily infections exceeded Tokyo's 446 cases reported Saturday. The Japanese capital saw a decrease in virus cases following a state of emergency in January through the beginning of March but is similarly experiencing a rebound.
The prefectures where the volume of weekly infection cases per 100,000 people by Thursday had reached Stage 4, the worst level on the government's four-point scale, include Miyagi and Osaka. Tokyo and Hyogo are among the areas at Stage 3, according to the health ministry.
Despite Osaka city's request to the public to limit dining to a maximum of four people, it found that nine employees of its division on elderly care facilities held a farewell party at a "yakiniku" grilled meat restaurant on the evening of March 26. Two of the attendees later tested positive for COVID-19.
On the same day, a different group of city employees also dined out together. The city said Saturday that of the five who went to an "izakaya" Japanese-style pub, three have tested positive for the virus.
