1526 Cases Reported by 6 PM, 35 Fewer Than Previous Day... Around 2000 Expected Tomorrow

On the last day of the Liberation Day holiday, the 16th, a child is being tested at the temporary COVID-19 screening site set up at Anseong Rest Area in the Seoul direction. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] According to the quarantine authorities and local governments including Seoul City, from midnight to 6 p.m. on the 19th, a total of 1,526 new confirmed COVID-19 cases tested positive. This is 35 fewer than the 1,561 cases recorded at the same time the previous day.

Compared to the 1,661 cases recorded at 6 p.m. a week ago on the 12th, this is 135 fewer cases.

The cases reported on this day were 968 (63.4%) in the metropolitan area and 558 (36.6%) in non-metropolitan areas. Confirmed cases were reported in all 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

By city and province, the numbers are Seoul 463, Gyeonggi 389, Incheon 116, Busan 105, Gyeongnam 77, Gyeongbuk 65, Chungnam 53, Jeju 50, Chungbuk 40, Daegu 36, Daejeon 30, Jeonbuk 28, Gangwon 25, Ulsan 18, Gwangju 17, Jeonnam 12, and Sejong 2.

Since there is still time left until midnight when the tally closes, the number of new confirmed cases announced at midnight on the 20th is expected to increase to around 2,000, possibly reaching around 2,100.

The previous day saw an increase of 591 cases after 6 p.m., closing at a final count of 2,152 cases.

The fourth wave, which began in earnest in early last month, has recently spread to non-metropolitan areas, intensifying the spread. The daily confirmed cases have been in four digits for 44 consecutive days since the 7th of last month (1,212 cases), and the 20th will mark the 45th day.

Looking at the new confirmed cases over the past week (August 13?19), the daily counts were 1,990 → 1,928 → 1,816 → 1,555 → 1,372 → 1,805 → 2,152, fluctuating around 1,000 to 2,000 cases each day.

Major new cluster infection cases include workplaces, bathhouses, and daycare centers, with confirmed cases emerging in various everyday settings.

Regarding the workplace cluster in Gangnam-gu, Seoul (the 32nd case), a total of 24 people, including 23 employees and 1 family member, have been confirmed positive since the 15th. In Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province, a machinery manufacturing company cluster has confirmed 12 cases, including 11 employees and 1 acquaintance since the 13th. In Siheung-si, Gyeonggi Province, an automobile parts manufacturing company cluster confirmed 11 employees positive since the 17th.

In non-metropolitan areas, new infections have been confirmed mainly around the Nonsan Army Training Center in Chungnam (cumulative 11 cases), a bathhouse in Yeonje-gu, Busan (20 cases), and a daycare center in Ulsan (14 cases).

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