'4th Wave' 1,378 New Confirmed Cases... Highest Record for 3 Consecutive Days

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] As the fourth wave of COVID-19 intensifies, the number of new confirmed cases on the 10th reached 1,378, breaking the record for the highest number for three consecutive days.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on that day, the number of new confirmed cases increased by 1,378, bringing the total to 166,722.

The number of new confirmed cases is 62 more than the previous day's 1,316, marking the highest figure since the first COVID-19 patient was reported in the country on January 20 last year. From the 8th, the numbers were 1,275 → 1,316 → 1,378, setting a new record for three consecutive days.

Also, for four consecutive days starting from the 7th, the number of confirmed cases exceeded 1,200, which is the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

On that day, the infection routes of new confirmed cases were 1,320 local transmissions and 58 imported cases. The number of locally transmitted cases was also 84 more than the previous day's record high.

The Seoul metropolitan area showed a prominent increase in cases, with confirmed cases in the three metropolitan cities of Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon exceeding 1,000 for the first time. In particular, Seoul's weekly average daily confirmed cases were about 431, surpassing the level 4 criteria (389 or more) for two consecutive days following the previous day.

The number of new confirmed cases over the past week from the 4th to that day were 743 → 711 → 746 → 1,212 → 1,275 → 1,316 → 1,378 daily.

The number of deaths increased by 2 from the previous day, totaling 2,038. The average fatality rate is 1.22%. The number of critically ill patients remained the same as the previous day at 148.

The number of suspected patients tested at screening clinics on the previous day was 37,423, which is 4,012 fewer than the previous day's 41,435.

The positivity rate calculated by confirmed cases against the number of tests was 3.68% (1,378 out of 37,423), rising from 3.18% (1,316 out of 41,435) the day before. As of midnight on that day, the cumulative positivity rate was 1.53% (166,722 out of 10,881,640).

Meanwhile, the government raised the social distancing level in the Seoul metropolitan area, where the spread is severe, to the highest level, level 4, for two weeks from the 12th to the 25th. After 6 p.m., private gatherings of three or more people are restricted, and quarantine measures have been strengthened.

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