COVID-19 151 New Cases Yesterday... Impact of Hospital-Origin Cluster Infection (Update)

by Choi Daeyul

Published 23 Oct.2020 10:43(KST)

Updated 23 Jan.2025 12:28(KST)

open/close

Central Disease Control Headquarters, Domestic Status as of 0:00 on the 23rd

On the 23rd, citizens are lining up and waiting to get tested at the COVID-19 screening clinic at Gwanak-gu Public Health Center in Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] On the 23rd, the newly confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) were counted at 151. With cluster outbreaks emerging mainly in nursing hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals in the metropolitan area, the number of new confirmed cases has been in the triple digits for two consecutive days.

According to the domestic status announced by the Central Disease Control Headquarters as of 0:00 on the day, 138 cases are presumed to be domestic infections, and 17 cases are imported from overseas. The daily new confirmed cases rising to the mid-100s is the first time in a month and a half since mid-last month. Although the daily new confirmed cases dropped below 50 earlier this month, the recent confirmation of large-scale cluster outbreaks mainly in nursing hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals has caused the numbers to rise again.

In particular, there are concerns that it has become difficult to contain the spread as confirmed cases continue to emerge daily in high-risk facilities such as nursing hospitals, which have many elderly people vulnerable to COVID-19, and sporadic cluster outbreaks are occurring in small gatherings and workplaces. By region, 103 new confirmed cases (including 5 imported cases) were reported in Gyeonggi-do, with the metropolitan area totaling 128 cases. New cases also appeared in Daegu, Gwangju, and Chungnam with 4 to 6 cases each. Eight cases were confirmed at the quarantine stage.

With 2 deaths reported the previous day, the cumulative number of COVID-19 deaths in the country rose to 455. The number of critically ill patients remains at 62, unchanged from the previous day. With 151 new confirmed cases on the day, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in the country increased to 25,698. Currently, 1,526 patients are isolated and undergoing treatment.