July 18 (UPI) -- Colombia and Japan have reported spikes in single-day cases of COVID-19 as the globe surpassed 14 million infections this week.
Colombia's National Institutes of Health reported 8,934 new COVID-19 cases Friday, the highest single-day number of cases, bringing the total number of infections since the pandemic began to 182,140. The country also reported 259 deaths, the highest daily death toll, bringing the total number of deaths since the pandemic began to 6,288, according to Johns Hopkins University global tracker.
Japan, meanwhile, reported about 650 new cases Saturday, its highest single-day number of new cases since April 11, bringing the total number of cases since the pandemic began to 24,760 cases.
Nearly half of the new cases in Japan were confirmed in Tokyo. The Tokyo metropolitan government reported 290 new cases Saturday, just shy of its single-day record of 293 on Friday and 286.
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The total number of cases in Tokyo is now 9,233, the highest among the country's 47 prefectures.
Since the lockdown lifted in late May, other prefectures near Tokyo have seen record single-day numbers, including Kanagawa and Chiba, totaling 49 and 32, respectively, and Osaka at 86 cases.
Japan has reported 985 deaths from COVID-19, according to the global tracker.
China, which the World Health Organization and individuals nations had praised for largely managing to bring the virus under control months ago, reported 22 new cases Friday, the country's National Health Commission said Saturday.
Of the new cases, 16 local infections were found in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region. The other six were imported cases, three of which were found in the Guangdong province, two in the Shandong province and one in Fujian province.
In Hong Kong, police arrested a 47-year-old man yielding a 5-inch knife and refusing to wear a mask. According to the police report, police were called after he argued with a bus driver about wearing a mask and threatened the driver. He was arrested on charges of criminal intimidation and possession of an offensive weapon after one police officer drew his gun and another deployed pepper spray.
The man was taken to the Tai Po Nethersole Hospital for examination, but was not injured, according to police.
A new law that became effective Wednesday requires the public to wear masks when they use public transportation.
China has reported 85,314 cases and 4,644 deaths, according to the global tracker.
The United States continues to lead the world in the most COVID-19 cases at more than 3.6 million and the most deaths from the virus at more than 139,200.
Brazil has the second-highest number of cases at more than 2 million and the second highest number of deaths at more than 77,800.
Worldwide, COVID-19 has infected more than 14 million people and killed more than 597,000.
