Osaka Prefecture reported 1,043 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, with the daily tally surpassing 1,000 for the fourth straight day.

Tokyo reported 698 cases of COVID-19 infection on Friday, a day after the daily tally topped 1,000 for the first time since Jan. 28. The figure dropped from 759 posted last Friday.

 The seven-day rolling average of infections per day in Tokyo rose to 773.4, up 10.9% from the previous seven-day period.

People age 65 or over, who are at high risk of developing severe symptoms, accounted for 52 of Friday’s cases, while people in their 20s accounted for 218.

The number of severely ill patients under the metropolitan government’s criteria, meanwhile, rose by seven from a day earlier to 65.

"The movement of people has not been reduced enough. We fear a further spread of infections," a metropolitan government official warned.

On Thursday, Osaka saw 44 fatalities, far surpassing its previous record of 23 cases marked Jan. 23.

Across Japan, 5,941 infection cases were confirmed, while the death toll rose by 78. The number of severely ill patients dropped by two from the previous day to 951.

Ishikawa and Akita prefectures had 39 and 22 infection cases, respectively, rewriting their record highs. Aichi Prefecture corrected Thursday's number of infection cases to 430 from the initially announced 431.

New cases of COVID-19 dipped below 1,000 in Tokyo on Sunday as infections continued apace despite the state of emergency declared in four prefectures late last month.

Osaka Prefecture confirmed 1,057 cases, its sixth straight day above 1,000.

Tokyo reported 879 new cases of COVID-19, the most in the capital on a Sunday since it saw 976 cases on Jan. 27. The figure was substantially more than the 635 infections reported a week ago on April 25. Tokyo reported 1,050 cases of on Saturday and 1,027 cases on Thursday.

The caseload in the capital boosted the seven-day average of new cases to 833.1, compared with 727.1 the week before.

People age 65 or over, who are at high risk of developing severe symptoms, accounted for 97 of Sunday's cases, while people in their 20s accounted for 233 infections.

The number of severely ill patients under the metropolitan government’s criteria, meanwhile, remained unchanged from a day earlier at 63.

Japan saw a record high 1,050 COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms on Saturday, up 30 from the previous day, the health ministry said Sunday. The previous record of 1,043 was marked on Jan. 27.

The figure stayed above 1,000 in the second half of January before falling below 400 in March, but began rising again in April.

In Osaka Prefecture, hospital beds for severely ill COVID-19 patients have been fully occupied in recent days.

On Saturday, Japan confirmed 5,983 new cases and 83 fresh deaths nationwide. Osaka reported a record daily high of 1,262 new cases, the fifth straight day above 1,000. The western prefecture confirmed 41 new deaths, its second-highest daily level. Of them, two people died at home while waiting to be hospitalized.