TOKYO, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Tokyo metropolitan government on Monday confirmed 95 new daily cases of COVID-19, with the figure dropping to the lowest count since July 8.

The latest figure compares to 212 new infections reported on Sunday and 256 additional cases reported in the capital on Saturday.

Monday's figure for Tokyo is the first time since July 8 when 75 cases were confirmed that the number of daily infections has remained below the 100-mark.

The Tokyo metropolitan government said the capital's cumulative total now stands at 19,428, the highest among Japan's 47 prefectures. The nation's total caseload since the outbreak has surpassed 63,000 infections.

The Tokyo metropolitan government has continued to urge Tokyo residents to refrain from traveling outside the prefecture, as well as avoid dining out in groups, even those including small gatherings held in close proximity with others, in a bid to curb the virus' spread.

Establishments serving alcohol such as restaurants, bars and karaoke parlors have been requested to shorten their opening hours until the end of August.

They have been asked to shut their doors at 10:00 p.m. to limit the number of patrons drinking into the night as another means to try and limit the virus' spread as people's inhibitions tend to lower once intoxicated, including mask wearing and maintaining appropriate social distancing measures.

The metropolitan government has described the situation in the capital of 14 million as "extremely severe" and has said that the "utmost caution is still required" while maintaining its alert level at the highest on its four-tier scale meaning "infections are spreading."

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has said that a Tokyo-specific state of emergency could still be declared if the virus' resurgence worsens.