718 New COVID-19 Cases... Weekend Testing Volume Brings Numbers Below 1,000 (Update)

Citizens are lined up in a long queue for COVID-19 testing at a screening clinic set up at the Sasang District Health Center in Busan. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Seulgina Jo and Heungsun Kim] On the 14th, 718 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were identified in South Korea. After reaching a record high of 1,030 cases the previous day, the number dropped back to triple digits, but considering the number of tests conducted over the weekend, it is difficult to conclude that the spread has slowed down.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters for COVID-19, as of midnight on this day, there were 682 locally transmitted cases and 36 imported cases. The total number of confirmed cases increased to 43,484.

The daily confirmed cases in South Korea over the past two weeks from the 1st of this month to this day were 451 → 511 → 540 → 628 → 577 → 631 → 615 → 592 → 671 → 680 → 689 → 950 → 1,030 → 718.

Although the number of new cases decreased by about 300 compared to the previous day, the number of tests conducted was 22,444, which is 16,207 fewer than last Friday (38,651), the most recent weekday, suggesting that this partly influenced the decrease. The number of new cases exceeding 100 has continued for 37 consecutive days since the 8th of last month.

Among the locally transmitted cases today, 217 were in Seoul, 220 in Gyeonggi, and 36 in Incheon, totaling 473 cases in the metropolitan area alone. All other 14 provinces also reported confirmed cases.

Of the 36 imported cases, 17 were detected during quarantine, and the remaining 19 were confirmed in the community. Among them, 22 were Korean nationals and 14 were foreigners.

Among the patients currently hospitalized, 185 are in severe or critical condition, an increase of 6 from the previous day. The death toll rose by 7 to 587. The number of patients who have recovered and been released from isolation increased by 288 to 32,102.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.