Japan confirms 27,549 new cases, down by nearly 10,000 from last week

Japan confirmed 27,549 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, a decrease of nearly 9,900 from the previous week, with 38 deaths.

The number of patients with severe symptoms has decreased by five since Thursday, to 90.

Meanwhile, Tokyo confirmed 2,630 new cases on Friday, down 943 from the previous week, with the daily tally falling below the week-ago level for the 14th day. In the capital, eight people died, according to reports.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the seven-day average of new infections fell 12.9 percent to 3,146.7. From Thursday to Friday, the number of coronavirus patients with severe symptoms under Tokyo's criteria decreased by one.

According to the health ministry, the number of seriously ill COVID-19 patients has decreased by five from the previous day to 90.

On Thursday, 31,008 new cases were reported across the country, a decrease of about 8,600 from the previous week.

COVID-19 has been linked to 42 new deaths across the country.

Meanwhile, Osaka Prefecture announced on Friday that a man in his 50s with no history of international travel had been infected with an omicron subvariant known as BA.2.12.1. On Tuesday, a case with the same subvariant was confirmed in Tokyo.