1438 New COVID-19 Cases Nationwide by 6 PM... 60 Fewer Than Yesterday

On the 1st, medical staff are guiding citizens at the temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] As the fourth wave of COVID-19 continues, confirmed cases have surged nationwide.

According to the quarantine authorities, Seoul city, and other local governments on the 2nd, a total of 1,438 new confirmed cases tested positive for COVID-19 from 0:00 to 18:00 on the same day. This is 60 fewer than the 1,498 cases recorded at the same time the previous day.

It is also 62 fewer than the 1,500 cases recorded at 18:00 a week ago on the 26th of last month.

Looking at the regions where confirmed cases were reported on this day, the metropolitan area accounted for 1,034 cases (71.9%), and non-metropolitan areas accounted for 404 cases (28.1%).

Confirmed cases were reported in all 17 cities and provinces nationwide. Gyeonggi 464, Seoul 463, Incheon 107, Chungnam 64, Busan 57, Gyeongnam 49, Daegu 46, Gyeongbuk 44, Gwangju 32, Daejeon 30, Chungbuk 29, Gangwon 15, Ulsan 12, Jeonbuk 10, Jeonnam 9, Jeju 6, Sejong 1.

Since there is still time left until midnight when the tally closes, the number of new confirmed cases as of 0:00 on the 3rd is expected to increase to the 1,800s, possibly around 1,900. The previous day saw an increase of 463 cases after 18:00, closing at a final count of 1,961.

The fourth wave, which began in early July centered on the metropolitan area, has recently spread to various non-metropolitan areas, becoming nationwide.

The daily confirmed cases have remained in the four-digit range for 58 consecutive days since recording 1,211 cases on July 7. The 59th day will be on the 3rd.

Looking at the new confirmed cases over the past week from the 27th of last month to this day, the daily numbers were 1,837 (corrected from 1,838) → 1,791 → 1,619 → 1,485 (corrected from 1,486) → 1,370 (corrected from 1,371) → 2,024 → 1,961, averaging about 1,727 cases per day. Among these, excluding imported cases, the average daily local transmission cases were approximately 1,685.

Recent major cluster outbreaks have been confirmed in various places such as restaurants, daycare centers, workplaces, and sports facilities.

At a restaurant in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, a total of 28 confirmed cases were reported among visitors and employees. In two daycare centers in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, small-scale cluster infections occurred consecutively, with a total of 27 confirmed cases among children and teachers.

In a manufacturing company in Haman, Gyeongnam, after one employee tested positive on the 1st, 19 other employees and family members were subsequently confirmed positive, totaling 20 cases. At a sports facility in Seo-gu, Busan, mainly used by teenagers, one user tested positive, followed by five other users and two family contacts who were additionally infected.

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