The Tokyo metropolitan government reported on Monday 342 new coronavirus cases, exceeding the number logged a week earlier for the 16th straight day, with less than three weeks to go before the Olympics.

Tokyo's seven-day rolling average of infections per day came to 585.6, topping the 500 mark that indicates Stage 4 or the worst level on the government's four-point scale on the pandemic's severity.

As the capital grapples with a resurgence of coronavirus infections, the government is leaning toward keeping the quasi-state of emergency covering the Tokyo metropolitan area beyond its initially scheduled end date of July 11, according to government sources.

Concerns have been mounting that the games could be a superspreader event.

Organizers of the Olympics are also expected to hold a meeting possibly this week to review the policy of permitting up to 10,000 spectators per venue, including a no-spectator option.

They have already barred the participation of overseas spectators in the global event set to start July 23 to curb the spread of the coronavirus.