TOKYO, July 27. /TASS/. The Japanese authorities have no concerns related to the Olympic Games being held in Tokyo despite an all-time daily high for coronavirus cases recorded in the country’s capital on Tuesday, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters. 

"There are now less people walking around the city thanks to certain measures, including the shifting of employees to telecommuting. So there are no concerns," he pointed out. The prime minister also said that "only two percent of the coronavirus patients identified in Tokyo on Tuesday are elderly people over the age of 65."

According to the Tokyo authorities, as many as 2,848 coronavirus cases were reported in the Japanese capital in the past 24 hours, which is a new daily high. The previous record was set in the Japanese capital on January 7, when 2,520 new patients were identified. Meanwhile, only 1,387 new cases were reported a week ago. There are currently 82 severe coronavirus cases in Tokyo. Eighty severe COVID-19 patients were last hospitalized in the city on May 18. Japan’s Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Norihisa Tamura said that the spread of the delta variant of the virus was the reason behind the deteriorating situation.

A state of emergency over the coronavirus situation was declared in Tokyo on July 12, which particularly includes a ban on alcohol at eating facilities and limits the number of spectators at mass events. This is why the Olympic Games are being held without fans.