COVID-19 New Cases 743... Highest Saturday Count Since December Last Year (Summary)

A citizen visiting the temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza on the 4th, where around 700 new COVID-19 cases are expected, is undergoing a test. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] The number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea recorded in the mid-700s. This is the first time this year that the number has reached the 700s on a Saturday, marking the highest figure in 27 weeks since December 27 last year (970 cases). With the metropolitan area, which has a large population, accounting for over 80% of cases daily and the more transmissible 'Delta' variant spreading, concerns are rising that the scale of the COVID-19 outbreak may grow further.

Accordingly, there are opinions that the new 'social distancing' measures should be raised to level 3. The metropolitan area was scheduled to implement the new level 2 distancing from the 1st of this month, but due to the worsening spread, it has been postponed for one week until the 7th.

◆ Metropolitan area daily average cases 546... Metropolitan area (541 cases) accounts for 81.7% = The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) announced that as of midnight, 743 new cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 160,084. This is 51 fewer than the previous day (794 cases).

The number of new cases has recently surged from the 700s to the 800s due to consecutive cluster infections in the metropolitan area. From the 28th of last month to today, the daily average number of new cases over the past week was about 716. The key indicator for adjusting distancing levels, the daily average of locally transmitted cases, is about 668. Among the new cases today, 662 were locally transmitted and 81 were imported.

Locally transmitted cases have remained in the 700s for five consecutive days since the 30th of last month (759 cases).

By region, the metropolitan area accounts for a total of 541 cases (81.7%), including Daejeon 32, Seoul 286, Gyeonggi 227, and Incheon 28. The recent one-week daily average of cases in the metropolitan area is 546, which already falls within level 3 (500 or more) under the new distancing criteria.

Non-metropolitan areas reported a total of 121 cases (18.3%), including Daejeon 32, Busan 26, Gyeongnam 14, Gangwon 11, Ulsan 10, Gyeongbuk 8, Chungnam 7, Sejong 4, Daegu, Chungbuk, Jeonbuk, Jeju 2 each, and Gwangju 1.

Regarding major infection cases, the cumulative number of confirmed cases related to a restaurant in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and eight English academies in the metropolitan area has increased to 291. Delta variant infections have also been confirmed in this cluster.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Increasing trend of imported cases... Confirmed cases in 16 cities and provinces nationwide except Jeonnam = The number of imported cases was 81, 35 more than the previous day (46). The 81 cases represent the second-highest number since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in South Korea on January 20 last year, and the highest in 344 days since July 25 last year (86 cases).

Among these, 50 were identified during airport or port quarantine processes. The remaining 31 tested positive while in self-quarantine at their residences or temporary living facilities in Gangwon (8), Incheon (5), Gyeonggi (4), Seoul and Ulsan (3 each), Busan and Gwangju (2 each), and Daegu, Jeonbuk, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam (1 each).

Combining locally transmitted and imported cases (excluding quarantine), the total is 553, including Seoul 289, Gyeonggi 231, and Incheon 33. Nationwide, confirmed cases were reported in 16 cities and provinces except Jeonnam.

The death toll increased by one from the previous day, reaching a total of 2,026. The domestic average fatality rate is 1.27%. The number of critically ill patients is 143, one fewer than the previous day (144).

The number of tests conducted at screening clinics yesterday was 14,508, which is 14,507 fewer than the previous day’s 29,015.

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