New COVID-19 Cases Reach 500s After Four Days... First Vaccine Dose Coverage at 25.7% (Update)

522 Local Cases, 23 Imported Cases

On the 10th, when Janssen vaccine administration began for reservists aged 30 to under 60, civil defense personnel, and those related to defense and diplomacy, medical staff at Kim Internal Medicine Clinic in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, are displaying the Janssen vaccine. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] On the 16th, the number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea reached 545. After maintaining the 300s for two consecutive days until the previous day, the number rose back to the 500s after four days as the weekend effect disappeared.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) announced that as of midnight on the 16th, there were 545 new domestic COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 149,191. By infection route, 522 cases were locally transmitted, and 23 were imported. On that day, the number of suspected case tests was 32,915, with 29,039 tests conducted at temporary screening clinics in the metropolitan area and 2,544 tests at temporary screening clinics outside the metropolitan area, exceeding a total of 60,000 tests. At the metropolitan area temporary screening clinics, 89 people tested positive, and 2 people tested positive at clinics outside the metropolitan area.

In the metropolitan area, 199 cases were reported in Seoul, 184 in Gyeonggi, and 11 in Incheon. Outside the metropolitan area, additional cases were reported in all regions: 28 in Daejeon, 17 in Chungbuk, 16 in Daegu, 13 in Busan, 9 in Jeju, 8 in Jeonnam, 7 each in Gangwon, Chungnam, and Gyeongnam, 6 in Ulsan, 4 in Sejong, 3 in Gyeongbuk, 2 in Jeonbuk, and 1 in Gwangju.

The cumulative number of COVID-19 deaths increased by one from the previous day to 1,993. The number of critically ill patients increased by one to 159. The number of patients who were declared recovered and released from isolation increased by 705, totaling 140,438.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, as of midnight on that day, 617,181 people received their first dose, bringing the cumulative total of first-dose recipients to 13,219,207. The number of people who completed vaccination increased by 27,339 to a total of 3,472,376. Among the Janssen vaccine recipients, which requires only one dose, 863,938 out of 1,037,655 eligible individuals have been vaccinated, recording a vaccination rate of 83.3%. The vaccination rate relative to the population was 25.7% for the first dose and 6.8% for completed vaccinations.

Reports of suspected adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination increased by 6,770 cases over two days since the 15th, bringing the cumulative total to 53,773. Newly reported adverse reactions included 24 suspected anaphylaxis cases, 255 neurological adverse reactions, and 20 deaths.

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