New COVID-19 Cases 1,630 · 17 Consecutive Days of Four-Digit Figures... Vaccination Rate 32.6% (Update)

On the 23rd, as the spread of COVID-19 shows no signs of slowing down, citizens are lining up for testing at a screening clinic set up at Gwanak-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Honam Moon munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The number of new domestic COVID-19 cases in South Korea remained in the 1,600s for the 17th consecutive day. While the outbreak in the Seoul metropolitan area has not been contained, a sharp increase in cases outside the metropolitan area has led to a nationwide surge.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) announced on the 23rd at midnight that 1,630 new domestic COVID-19 cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 185,733. Of these, 1,574 were domestic transmissions and 56 were imported cases.

Although the number dropped by 212 from the previous day’s record high and fell back into the 1,600s, considering that 270 members of the Cheonghae Unit who returned early due to a cluster infection were included in the imported cases, the number of confirmed cases is still on the rise.

By region, the Seoul metropolitan area reported 516 cases in Seoul, 403 in Gyeonggi, and 90 in Incheon, totaling 1,009 cases, which accounts for 64.1% of domestic transmissions.

Outside the metropolitan area, cases surged nationwide with 115 in Busan, 93 in Gyeongnam, 67 in Daejeon, 61 in Gangwon, 57 in Daegu, 34 in Chungbuk, 28 in Jeju, 24 in Chungnam, 22 each in Ulsan and Jeonnam, 15 in Gyeongbuk, 10 in Jeonbuk, 9 in Gwangju, and 8 in Sejong, totaling 565 cases.

On this day, cases outside the metropolitan area accounted for 35.9% of domestic transmissions, marking the highest level since the fourth wave. The number of cases outside the metropolitan area has remained in the 500s for three consecutive days since the 21st. The proportion outside the metropolitan area has exceeded 30% for six consecutive days, showing a nationwide spread.

Among the 56 imported cases, 20 were detected during quarantine, and the remaining 36 were identified in the local community. There were 20 Korean nationals and 36 foreigners. Forty-three cases were confirmed from Asian countries excluding China.

The number of critically ill patients is 227. The death toll increased by 3 the previous day, bringing the total to 2,066, with a fatality rate of 1.11%.

The number of newly released from isolation increased by 1,133, totaling 164,206.

The number of suspected cases tested was 44,387, and 77,158 tests were conducted at temporary screening clinics set up in the metropolitan area, confirming 295 cases. In non-metropolitan temporary screening clinics, 7,047 tests were conducted, identifying 23 cases. The total number of tests conducted was 128,592.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, 141,900 people received their first dose the previous day, bringing the total number of first-dose recipients to 16,723,537. The vaccination rate for the first dose relative to the population is 32.6%.

For the second dose, 41,104 people were newly vaccinated, bringing the total number of fully vaccinated individuals to 6,779,191. The vaccination rate for full vaccination relative to the population is 13.2%.

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