As it appears that the current global Covid wave is somewhat weakening, Japan on Thursday reported 489 Covid-related deaths on a single day, another record high for a country that is reeling under the eighth wave of the pandemic.

Japan reported 185,472 new coronavirus cases, down 13,401 from Wednesday. Tokyo reported 13,427 new cases, down 3,345 from Wednesday.

"The number of coronavirus-related deaths reported nationwide was a record high 489," reports Japan Today.

The number of infected people hospitalised with severe symptoms in Tokyo was 49, down five from Wednesday.

The nationwide figure was 697, up 32 from Wednesday, according to health officials.

On January 7, the number of coronavirus-related deaths reported nationwide in Japan reached a record high of 463 for a single day.

There were concerns that the Covid infection and death numbers would only go up with the New Year festivities.

In December 2022, Japan registered a record 7,688 deaths due to Covid, surpassing the earlier monthly high of 7,329 logged in August during the previous coronavirus wave.

The number of people dying from Covid-19 over the last three months in Japan is nearly 16 times higher than during the same period last year.

Over the four-month period from August 31 to December 27 last year, people in their 80s represented 40.8 per cent of the deaths. (SJ/IANS)