Photo/Illutration People wearing face masks walk across an intersection on their way to a train station in Tokyo on Dec. 10. (AP Photo)

Tokyo metropolitan government officials reported 595 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Dec. 11, slightly down from the daily record set the previous day.

The high count follows the record 602 new COVID-19 cases logged in the capital on Dec. 10. 

On Dec. 11, 67 patients have severe symptoms that require the use of a ventilator or an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) device, which circulates blood through an artificial lung. The figure increased by eight from the previous day.

Among the 595 cases, 159 patients were in their 20s, 105 in their 30s, 91 in their 40s, 70 in their 50s and 107 were 65 or older.

Some prefectures reported seeing daily record of COVID-19 cases on Dec. 11.

Kanagawa Prefecture confirmed 285 new patients, more than the previous record of 253 posted on Nov. 26. Oita Prefecture confirmed 26 new patients, the third straight day it set a record. 

In Iwate Prefecture, the prefectural government confirmed 22 new infection cases, also a daily record. The northeastern prefecture had long been infection free until the first case was reported on July 29.

Since mid-November, the virus has surged in the prefecture with the latest tally bringing the total to 252. 

The Metropolitan Police Department on Dec. 11 announced that 12 men who were detained at the Shinjuku Police Station had contracted the virus.

They developed either mild or no symptoms, police said.

Ten of the detainees were transferred to the Harajuku Police Station, while two will be released due to reasons related to the investigation process, police said.

A public health center is checking to determine if the outbreak will be deemed as an infection cluster.

The detention facility at Shinjuku Police Station will be temporarily closed.

The ages of the infected detainees vary from 20s to 70s. The routes of infection remain unknown. Two were detained in a private cell, while the other 10 were housed in cells for three to five people, police said.

According to the National Police Agency, this is the largest number of cases of infections confirmed at one detention facility at the same time.

As of Dec. 11, a total of 55 people have tested positive while in detainment at 28 police facilities in 11 prefectures including Tokyo.

The agency has instructed local police to place each detainee in single cells as much as possible and take measures to prevent them from contacting other detainees during exercising and bathing.

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