A Record High of 1,275 People... 'Level 4' Is Coming

Rapid Increase in Daily Infections at Schools, Department Stores, Training Centers
994 Cases in the Capital Area Alone... Accounting for 81% Nationwide
Hours-Long Testing Waits... Diagnostic Kits Running Out

On the 8th, citizens who visited the screening clinic in Mapo-gu, Seoul, are waiting in line for COVID-19 testing. The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on the same day, 1,275 new confirmed cases were reported, marking the highest number since the COVID-19 outbreak. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The number of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea reached a record high of 1,275. Patients have surged in various everyday places such as schools, academies, restaurants, department stores, and the Army Training Center, far surpassing the previous record of 1,240 set on December 25 last year. The Seoul metropolitan area has nearly reached the highest level of social distancing, Level 4, signaling the full onset of the fourth wave.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 8th, as of midnight, 1,275 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 164,028. This marks the second consecutive day with over 1,200 new cases. Since the first domestic case was reported in late January last year, the daily new cases have exceeded 1,200 only three times in the past year and a half.

The spread in the metropolitan area is particularly severe. Among the newly confirmed local cases, 81% (994 cases) were from Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon. Although Seoul, which set a new record the previous day, saw a slight decrease to 545 cases, Gyeonggi and Incheon experienced increases. Gyeonggi reported 388 cases, up by 31 from the previous day, and Incheon had 61 cases, an increase of 5. Over the past week (July 1?7), the metropolitan area averaged 636.3 cases per day, accounting for more than 80% of the national total.

Some non-metropolitan regions are also showing concerning signs. In Chungnam, the Nonsan Army Training Center saw a mass infection among trainees, causing cases to surge from 16 to 77 in just one day. In Busan, the number of confirmed cases has sharply increased due to an influx of visitors during the vacation season. In Busanjin-gu, where a cluster infection originated from native English instructors in the metropolitan area, 44 people were infected across seven establishments as of the previous day. With an additional 55 infections confirmed, Busan has strengthened social distancing to Level 2 starting today. Jeju, a representative domestic vacation spot, also reported 17 new cases.

On the 8th, citizens waiting for COVID-19 testing at a screening clinic in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced that as of midnight that day, 1,275 new confirmed cases were reported, marking the highest number since the COVID-19 outbreak. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

As the COVID-19 crisis officially enters the fourth wave, the number of people undergoing diagnostic testing has surged. Nearly 115,000 tests were conducted the previous day. At temporary screening centers set up in the metropolitan area alone, 74,787 tests were performed, confirming 244 cases. However, testing sites in areas recently affected by cluster infections such as Gangnam, Yeouido, and Mapo have been overwhelmed with people, resulting in several hours of waiting and even suspension of testing due to a shortage of test kits.

With the official declaration of the fourth wave, the government is increasingly likely to implement Level 4 social distancing in the metropolitan area. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum appeared on a radio broadcast that day, stating, "The key factors are the number of infections and the speed of transmission," and added, "We are monitoring the situation hourly, and if it becomes absolutely necessary, we will have no choice but to raise the level." He also said, "We plan to observe the situation through the weekend," and "It may be discussed at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on Sunday."

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