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July 16 (UPI) -- Tokyo confirmed its highest number of new coronavirus cases Thursday -- 286 -- as Japan, overall, marked its biggest increase in three months. The nation confirmed 622 new cases for a total of 23,600 infections since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tokyo's overall case count increased to 8,640.
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Kyodo News reported the uptick sparked a fear of a second wave of the virus.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike blamed the rise in cases on more testing, but called the situation "rather severe."
"We will respond appropriately to reduce the number of people being infected," she said.
The spike in Tokyo promoted the Japanese government to drop the capital city from its planned "Go To" travel campaign, encouraging people to travel throughout the country as the tourism industry wanes from the pandemic. The campaign is scheduled to kick off Wednesday.
"We will be excluding from the campaign those who are making Tokyo their tourist destination and those who reside in Tokyo traveling outside the prefecture," Tourism Minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said 80 percent of the new cases in the capital are among people under age 39.
The record figure came as the International Olympics Committee expressed concern about the Olympic Games that were supposed to be held in Tokyo this month. They've been postponed to summer 2021 because of the coronavirus.
The IOC said it didn't want the Games to be held behind closed doors. President Thomas Bach said the committee is working on "multiple scenarios" to hold the Games safely.
In Australia, Melbourne also has experienced a one-day record for new coronavirus cases -- 317. According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, the country has had 10,810 cumulative cases and at least 113 deaths.
In response to the new spike, Victoria Health Minister Jenny Mikakos delayed certain elective surgeries at public hospitals to free up space for COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Spain also recorded its highest single-day increase of new coronavirus cases since May 10. The Health Ministry confirmed 580 new cases Thursday, bringing the total number of cases to more than 250,000.
Fernando Simon, director of the Center for Health Emergencies, blamed much of the increase on outbreaks in Aragon and Catalonia. Of the 158 outbreaks in the country, 10 percent are linked to seasonal workers.
"We need to get used to seeing outbreaks linked to seasonal workers," he said. "They are essential workers, and although the outbreaks might be controlled, they travel from region to region and cases around this activity will probably be constant."
At the outbreak's height earlier in the year, Spain saw up to 10,000 new cases in a single day. World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday applauded the country for limiting the spread using mitigation tactics.
"Spain has shown that with political leadership and action, backed by community support, that COVID-19 can be controlled, no matter at what stage virus transmission is at in a country. From being greatly challenged, Spain has reversed the trajectory of the outbreak," Tedros said.
"While we have witnessed the suppression of the virus across Spain, I support the commitment by Spanish authorities to remain vigilant in the face of the persistent threat that COVID-19 poses."
As of Thursday afternoon, there have been some 13.7 million confirmed cases of coronavirus globally, with 7.6 recoveries. At least 586,000 people have died from the virus.
