New COVID-19 Cases at 785... Growing Spread, Nearly 800 for Two Consecutive Days (Summary)

Seoul 253, Gyeonggi 244... Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam 178
Vaccine Adverse Reactions Increase by 321 Cases... About 4% of the Population Complete First Dose

On the 23rd, when the number of new COVID-19 cases reached 797, close to 800, citizens visiting the screening clinic set up at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul are waiting to be tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] As the spread of COVID-19 continues to grow in South Korea, the number of new confirmed cases on the 24th approached 800. Although slightly lower than the previous day, the figure remained in the 700s for the fourth consecutive day and was close to 800 for two days in a row.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on the day, there were 785 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 118,243.

This is 12 fewer than the 797 cases reported the previous day but still close to 800 for two consecutive days. The number has remained in the 700s for four consecutive days since the 21st (731 cases). This is the first time since early January, when the situation began to stabilize, that the 700s have continued for four days.

Looking at recent trends, before the effects of the third wave, which began in mid-November last year, had fully subsided, sporadic infections have been occurring nationwide, making the "fourth wave" a reality. From the 18th of this month to the 24th, the daily new confirmed cases over the past week were 671 → 532 → 549 → 731 → 735 → 797 → 785.

With an average of 685.7 new cases per day over the week, the key indicator for adjusting social distancing levels, the average daily number of locally transmitted cases, was about 659.1, still within the 2.5 level range (nationwide 400?500 or more).

Regarding the infection routes of new confirmed cases, 760 were locally transmitted and 25 were imported from overseas. Among locally transmitted cases, Seoul recorded 251, Gyeonggi 241, and Incheon 17, totaling 509 cases in the metropolitan area. This is the first time in ten days since the 14th that the number has returned to the 500s, accounting for 67% of the total.

In non-metropolitan areas, Gyeongnam reported 52 cases, Ulsan 50, Busan 44, and Gyeongbuk 30, with a large proportion from the Gyeongsang region excluding Daegu. Other cases included Gwangju 15, Chungbuk and Chungnam 13 each, Daejeon 10, Gangwon 9, Jeonbuk 6, Daegu 4, Jeju 3, and Sejong and Jeonnam 1 each.

Major infection cases include 41 confirmed cases related to a senior day care center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi. Most of the confirmed cases had been vaccinated but were infected before the vaccine took effect. The cumulative confirmed cases related to Donggang Hospital in Ulsan reached 44. In Gwangju, infections have been linked to sports facilities, pubs, and religious facilities.

The number of deaths increased by one from the previous day, totaling 1,812. The domestic average fatality rate is 1.53%. There are 136 critically ill patients, and 710 confirmed cases were released from isolation as of this day.

Meanwhile, since the start of COVID-19 vaccination in South Korea, about 4% of the entire population has completed the first dose over 57 days. On the previous day, 158,581 people received new vaccinations, bringing the total number of people who completed the first dose to 2,195,492. Currently, AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are being administered domestically.

The number of reported suspected adverse reactions after vaccination increased by 321 cases, totaling 13,332. Among these, three additional deaths were reported, but causality between vaccination and death has not yet been confirmed. The total number of cases reported as deaths at the time of adverse reaction reporting is 56.

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