Photo/Illutration A Tokyo street scene on Feb. 7 (AP Photo)

Tokyo posted 17,113 fresh cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 8, setting a record for a Tuesday, as well as 11 related deaths, metropolitan health officials said.

The latest tally, an increase of 2,668 over the same day a week ago,  marked the 15th consecutive day for new cases to exceed 10,000 in the capital. The figure included 483 patients “deemed positive” for COVID-19 following an examination by doctors without diagnostic testing due to a serious shortage of kits.

A woman in her 30s was among the 11 fatalities. The others ranged in age from their 60s to 90s.

The seven-day average of new cases over the week until Feb. 8 came to 18,575.0, about 1.2 times the figure for the preceding week.

The three-day average of tests conducted until Feb. 7 came to 17,296.7

The occupancy rate of hospital beds hit 55.8 percent as of Feb. 8.

The occupancy rate of beds for severely ill patients stood at 20.4 percent as of Feb. 7. If this figure rises to between 30 percent to 40 percent, the metropolitan government will consider asking the central government to issue a state of emergency for the capital.

Fifty-one patients were deemed to be critically ill Feb. 8 and required special breathing equipment, up three from the day before.

About 150,000 Tokyoites are either recuperating at home or waiting to be told by public health centers whether they should be cared for at hospitals or isolate themselves at home or designated accommodation facilities.

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