Photo/Illutration A doctor takes a sample during a drive-through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test conducted at the Omiya Medical Association in Saitama’s Kita Ward. (Shin Matsuura)

Forty-eight new COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Saitama Prefecture on July 8, the largest daily tally since the state of emergency was lifted for the prefecture just north of Tokyo on May 25.

The latest figure surged from 27 reported on the previous day and brought the total number of infections in the prefecture to 1,340.

The Saitama city government said 10 male employees at a host club on the Omiya Minami-Ginza shopping street tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The city government determined that a cluster infection occurred at the club since another worker there was already confirmed to have been infected on July 1.

Although the city government has not disclosed the name of the club, Urbanity Club E.S, a host club on the shopping street, posted a message on its official Twitter account on July 6, saying a staff member tested positive.

“We will temporarily close for the time being to give utmost consideration to the safety of our customers and employees,” the tweet said.

The first confirmed case at the club, an employee in his 20s, initially told city officials that he was unemployed. But he revealed his workplace on July 3.

City officials had the 17 other staff members of the club undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. Ten of them were confirmed infected on July 7 and 8.

Since late June, 28 employees and customers at four hostess clubs on the same shopping street have tested positive.

The latest surge in infections came after the city government on July 7 decided to start conducting PCR tests on all workers at an estimated 100 host and hostess clubs on the shopping street and surrounding areas for free.

The tests will be available as early as this weekend.

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