TOKYO, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Japan confirmed more than 10,000 daily nationwide COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the first time since Sept. 9, 2021.

The Tokyo metropolitan government reported 2,198 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, doubling from 962 the previous day and logging the highest level in four months.

The infection case count in the capital increased by over five times from 390 the previous Wednesday, the first time to top 2,000 since Sept. 4, 2021.

The latest average of new infection cases in a seven-day period stood at 1,148.7 per day, up 847 percent from the previous week, according to the metropolitan government. The weekly average number rose by 19 times from 60.1 on Jan. 1.

On Wednesday, 745 new cases, or around 34 percent in Tokyo were confirmed among people in their 20s, 436, or about 20 percent among those in their 30s, 302 among those in their 40s and 228 among those in their 50s. Those in their 10s or younger accounted for 308 cases.

Nearly half of the infection cases, or 1,071 people, have received the two shots of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients under the metropolitan government's criteria remained unchanged from four in the previous day.

The capital's government reported no new death cases related to the COVID-19.

Western Osaka prefecture reported 1,711 new infection cases on Wednesday, the first time to exceed 1,000 since Sept. 5, 2021.

Nationwide, the number of severely ill patients rose by 10 from the previous day to 100 on Tuesday, according to the health ministry, with two new deaths confirmed linked to the virus nationwide, and the death toll rose to 18,406.