Seoul Reports 661 New Cases in One Day, Highest Ever... "No Plans to Consider Additional Quarantine Measures" (Summary)

Seoul City Reports 661 New COVID-19 Cases on the 10th, Up 302 from Previous Day
Significant Increase in Tests and Positivity Rate Rises to 0.9%

On the 11th, when 2,223 new COVID-19 cases were reported, marking the first time in 568 days since the outbreak that the number exceeded 2,000, citizens waiting to be tested at a temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] On the 10th, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Seoul reached a record high of 661 in a single day.

According to Seoul City on the 11th, the number of confirmed cases on the 10th was 661, an increase of 302 from the previous day (9th). This is 24 more than the previous record of 637 cases on July 13.

Among the 661 cases, 11 were imported from overseas, and 650 were domestic infections. The positivity rate in Seoul on that day (confirmed cases relative to the number of tests conducted the previous day) was about 0.9%, higher than the Tuesday positivity rates over the past four weeks (0.7?0.8%).

As citizens returned from vacations and cluster infections occurred in various places, the number of tests conducted has significantly increased compared to a week ago. The number of COVID-19 tests conducted in Seoul over the past three days were ▲ August 8: 28,266 ▲ August 9: 72,160 ▲ August 10: 64,920, showing an increase of 11.5% to 21.5% compared to the previous week.

Recently, cluster infections have been increasing in multi-use facilities such as religious facilities, saunas, and indoor sports facilities in Seoul.

Park Yumi, the quarantine control officer of the Seoul Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said, "Infections are widely spreading in the community, and confirmed cases are increasing due to small gatherings and personal contacts. Additionally, the Delta variant has become the dominant strain, leading to a continuous increase in case numbers. The best we can do now is to minimize contact as much as possible, and we ask people to refrain from traveling, outings, or moving around during the Gwangbokjeol holiday."

Seoul City Daily New Confirmed Cases Status (Data=Seoul City)

Although the number of confirmed cases has surpassed the previous record, Seoul City stated that it is not considering additional quarantine measures such as stricter business hour restrictions beyond the current Level 4. This is because Level 4 restrictions, which include strengthened quarantine rules, are in place until the 22nd.

Quarantine control officer Park Yumi said, "We are not currently considering reducing restaurant business hours or public transportation operating hours. However, if the increase in confirmed cases continues, stronger social distancing measures may be necessary. We will consult with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and experts to prepare future plans."

If daily new cases in the 600s continue, there is concern about a shortage of hospital beds. Currently, the bed occupancy rate at infectious disease-dedicated hospitals in Seoul is 75.8%. Out of 1,997 beds, 484 remain available.

Park explained, "If more than 600 patients continue to occur daily, patients may not receive appropriate medical care, and medical staff will face increased difficulties. Recently, we started operating 70 beds at a 'base-type residential treatment center,' which is an intermediate form between hospitals and residential treatment centers. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters has initiated an incentive program to transfer patients who have received several days of treatment and recovered at infectious disease-dedicated hospitals to residential treatment centers. Seoul City has also established detailed criteria for this."

On the 10th, when 1,540 new COVID-19 cases were reported, citizens who visited the temporary screening clinic set up at Dongjak-gu Public Health Center in Seoul were waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

New cluster infections in Seoul include 8 cases at a religious facility in Seocho-gu (August), 8 cases at an educational facility in Jungnang-gu, 6 cases at a workplace in Guro-gu (second cluster in August), and 5 cases at an indoor sports facility in Seodaemun-gu (August). An additional 38 cases were reported from other cluster infections.

Regarding the Seocho-gu religious facility cluster, a Seoul City official explained, "An epidemiological investigation of the church in Seocho-gu found that 55 people attended a service on August 1. Seocho-gu issued orders to close the facility and prohibit gatherings at the church and imposed fines."

The cumulative confirmed cases related to major cluster infections are 40 at the Seocho-gu religious facility (August), 10 at the Jungnang-gu educational facility, 13 at the Guro-gu workplace (second cluster in August), and 36 at the Seodaemun-gu indoor sports facility (August).

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