Japan's cumulative total of coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic topped 20 million on Friday, official data showed, doubling in less than two months as the country battles its seventh wave of infections.

Although cases appear to be on the decline, 99,491 new infections were confirmed Friday, according to local government reports, while an additional 211 deaths were also reported, surpassing 200 for the 26th consecutive day.

Japan confirmed the first domestic case of COVID-19 in January 2020.

Daily infections peaked at more than 260,000 during the seventh wave that has raged since around July, compared with over 100,000 during the sixth wave that began early this year.

The number of deaths due to the virus totaled more than 23,000 this year. In August, 7,328 people died, the worst single-month figure of the pandemic.

On Friday, the Tokyo metropolitan government reported 9,240 new infections, with Osaka Prefecture logging 7,285 and Aichi Prefecture 6,342.

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