Among Confirmed Cases, 99.5% Are Delta Variant... Breakthrough Infections Also Continue to Rise

As the impact of population movement during the Chuseok holiday intensified, a large-scale spread of COVID-19 surged on the 29th, with citizens undergoing diagnostic tests at the temporary screening site in Seoul Plaza. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, the number of new COVID-19 cases as of midnight that day was 2,885, marking the second-largest figure following 3,271 cases on the 25th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The COVID-19 Delta variant has recently accounted for virtually all confirmed cases in South Korea.

Lee Sang-won, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Team at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19, stated at a regular briefing on the afternoon of the 29th, "The detection rate of major variant viruses in domestic infection cases over the past week was 99.5%," adding, "The detection rate of the Delta variant was 99.5%."

Out of 2,939 analyzed domestic infection cases, the Delta variant was detected in 2,923 cases, meaning that the vast majority of COVID-19 viruses circulating domestically are the Delta variant. This marks a rapid change compared to the week of June 4, when only 196 out of 642 analyzed cases (30.5%) showed major variants, and only 21 cases (3.3%) were confirmed as the Delta variant.

As the Delta variant, known to have higher transmissibility, severity, and fatality rates than the original COVID-19 virus or other variants, spreads, the number of 'breakthrough infection suspected' cases?where individuals test positive for COVID-19 despite being 14 days past full vaccination?is continuously increasing.

As of the 19th, a total of 7,772 suspected breakthrough infection cases have been confirmed, which is 0.044% compared to 17,752,946 fully vaccinated individuals, or about 43.8 cases per 100,000 people. While there were only 2 suspected breakthrough cases in April, 3,702 cases have been confirmed just this month, showing a rapid increase.

Among suspected breakthrough infection cases, the proportion of the Delta variant was the highest. Of the 1,969 cases where variant virus analysis was completed, 1,741 cases (88.4%) showed major variants, with the Delta variant accounting for the majority at 1,708 cases.

The incidence rate of suspected breakthrough infections per 100,000 vaccinated individuals by vaccine type was highest for Janssen at 171.5 cases, followed by Pfizer at 37.9, AstraZeneca (AZ) at 32.4, and Moderna at 15.0. Among those who received a heterologous vaccination?AZ for the first dose and Pfizer for the second?the breakthrough infection rate was 28.4 cases per 100,000.

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