Photo/Illutration Staff wear face shields at the entrance of the Yokohama Triennale international art festival, which opened on July 17. (The Asahi Shimbun)

Daily new infections with the novel coronavirus on July 18 hit 664 across the nation, the highest since a state of emergency was lifted in May, bringing the total cases in Japan to 24,983.

The numbers of those infected with COVID-19 rose substantially in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures, as well as Osaka, Kyoto and Aichi prefectures.

The number of deaths reached 999 after one person died in Saitama Prefecture.

The death toll includes 13 passengers who were aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined in Yokohama Port in February. 

Tokyo reported 290 new cases on July 18, following a daily record of 293 on July 17 and 286 on July 16.

There were 86 cases in Osaka Prefecture and 49 in Kanagawa Prefecture, both the highest since the government lifted the state of emergency on May 25.

The figure in Osaka was the third-highest reported in the prefecture. The largest number of cases, 92, was posted on April 9.

In Kanagawa Prefecture, the number of new infections topped 40 for the fourth consecutive day on July 18.

Twenty-five cases were confirmed each in Aichi and Kyoto prefectures, marking the largest figures on record.

In Chiba Prefecture, there were 32 cases confirmed, tying the number reported on July 16, which was the highest since the state of emergency was lifted.

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