New COVID-19 Cases Stay in the 1,000s for Three Consecutive Days...First Time Regional Cases Average in the 900s (Update)

On the 17th, citizens lined up in a long queue to receive diagnostic tests at a temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul. According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters as of midnight on the 17th, the number of new confirmed cases was 1,014, maintaining the figure above 1,000 for the second consecutive day. In particular, the Seoul area recorded a record high of 423 confirmed cases. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The number of new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea remained in the 1,000s for the third consecutive day on the 18th.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) announced that as of midnight on that day, the total number of COVID-19 confirmed cases increased by 1,062 from the previous day to 47,515. The number of new confirmed cases exceeded 1,000 again on the 18th, following the 16th and 17th, remaining in the four-digit range.

Regarding the infection routes of the new confirmed cases, 1,036 were locally transmitted and 26 were imported. The number of locally transmitted cases returned to four digits after one day. Accordingly, the average daily number of locally transmitted cases over the past week reached 934.4, surpassing 900 for the first time. The criteria for raising social distancing to level 3 is when the average daily number of locally transmitted cases over the past week is between 800 and 1,000 or higher, or when there is a rapid increase such as doubling at level 2.5.

More than 70% of the locally transmitted cases occurred in the Seoul metropolitan area. Locally transmitted cases were 393 in Seoul, 300 in Gyeonggi, and 64 in Incheon, totaling 757 cases in the metropolitan area, accounting for 73.1% of the total. Other cases were reported in Gyeongnam 43, Busan 39, Gyeongbuk 31, Ulsan 30, Chungbuk 30, Jeju 27, Daegu 20, Gangwon 18, Chungnam 16, Jeonbuk 12, Jeonnam 5, Daejeon 5, and Gwangju 3.

Among the 26 imported confirmed cases, 9 were identified during quarantine upon entry. The rest tested positive while in self-quarantine at their residences or temporary living facilities in various regions: Seoul 5, Jeonbuk 4, Chungnam 2, and Incheon, Gwangju, Ulsan, Gyeonggi, Chungbuk, and Gyeongnam with 1 case each.

The number of patients who have been declared recovered and released from isolation increased by 372 from the previous day to 33,982. The death toll rose by 11 to 645.

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