Photo/Illutration The Tokyo metropolitan government and other high-rise buildings in the capital’s Shinjuku Ward (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Osaka, Hiroshima and Hyogo prefectures reported record COVID-19 figures on Jan. 16, while cases in Tokyo hit 4,172, a 3.4-fold increase over the number for the previous Sunday.

The daily average of new cases in the capital over the week through Jan. 16 stood at 2,848.4, or 4.2 times the figure for the preceding week, metropolitan health officials said.

Patients in their 20s made up the largest group, at 1,477, followed by 661 people in their 30s and 565 teenagers. Patients under the age of 10 totaled 294.

Five patients displayed symptoms serious enough to warrant ventilators or other special breathing apparatus.

The occupancy rate of hospital beds in the capital was 16.8 percent. The metropolitan government said it will consider applying pre-emergency measures if the rate reaches 20 percent. No related fatalities were reported.

In Osaka Prefecture, new cases totaled 3,760 on Jan. 16, shattering the record for the second straight day and up 68 from the previous day.

But no related deaths were reported. The occupancy rate of hospital beds was 27.1 percent, below the 35 percent level at which the prefecture will consider applying pre-emergency measures.

Okinawa Prefecture reported 1,226 fresh cases of COVID-19 among islanders on Jan. 16, down from 1,533 the previous Sunday and the fifth consecutive day for the prefecture to log more than 1,000 cases.

The prefectural government also said the number of new cases among U.S. military personnel stationed on the island came to 269.

The number of newly confirmed infections per 100,000 people stood at 650.86 as of Jan. 16, the highest level in the nation.

Many of 21 local hospitals designated to respond to the health crisis are feeling the strain as 685 medical staff were off work as of Jan. 16 due to infection or exposure to those with COVID-19.

Hiroshima Prefecture confirmed 1,280 fresh COVID-19 cases on Jan. 16, breaking the previous record of 1,212 set the day before. The prefecture had never experienced figures this high before.

Hyogo Prefecture logged a record 1,343 new cases the same day after posting the previous high of 1,191 on Jan. 15.

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