1084 Critically Ill Patients 'Record High'... New Confirmed Cases at 6233 'Slowing Down'

On the 12th, when the additional vaccination (booster shot) began for COVID-19 treatment hospital workers who had passed six months after the basic vaccination, treatment hospital workers were receiving vaccine shots at the Central Vaccination Center of the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients has recorded a daily high. However, the number of new confirmed cases decreased compared to the previous day and the previous week, influenced by the rise in the third vaccine dose rate and strengthened social distancing measures.

On the 24th, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight, 6,233 new confirmed cases were recorded, bringing the cumulative total to 596,209. The number of new cases decreased by 685 from 6,918 the day before and by 1,201 from 7,434 a week earlier on the 17th.

The day before, Son Youngrae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Accident Response Headquarters, stated, "It seems clear that the increasing trend of new confirmed cases has slowed," adding, "This appears to be due to the increase in third vaccinations and the strengthened quarantine measures implemented since the 6th."

On the same day, the number of critically ill patients was 1,084, an increase of one from the previous day, marking a daily record high. The number has remained in the 1,000s for four consecutive days since the 21st (1,022). With 56 deaths reported the previous day, the cumulative death toll reached 5,071, and the average fatality rate was 0.85%.

The decrease in new confirmed cases is expected by authorities to affect indicators such as critically ill patients and deaths with a time lag of about 4 to 5 days per week, impacting the capacity for securing personnel and hospital beds.

The number of Omicron variant infections increased by 16, bringing the cumulative total to 262.

Regarding the infection routes of new confirmed cases on the day, 6,163 were locally transmitted, and 70 were imported cases. The weekly daily average number of confirmed cases is approximately 6,381. Excluding imported cases, the daily average of local cases is 6,319.

Among the locally transmitted cases, 2,324 were in Seoul and 1,647 in Gyeonggi Province, totaling 4,404 (71.5%) in the metropolitan area. Non-metropolitan areas reported 1,759 cases (28.5%), including 419 in Busan, 228 in Gyeongnam, 176 in Chungnam, 150 in Daegu, 144 in Gyeongbuk, 129 in Gangwon, 117 in Jeonbuk, 90 in Chungbuk, 81 in Daejeon, 68 in Jeonnam, 54 in Gwangju, 43 in Ulsan, 36 in Sejong, and 24 in Jeju. Imported cases numbered 70, seven more than the previous day.

The number of suspected patient tests conducted at screening clinics the previous day was 69,873, and tests at temporary screening centers totaled 192,302, making the total number of tests 262,175.

The domestic COVID-19 vaccination completion rate as of midnight was 82.3% (a cumulative 42,259,139 people). The number of people who completed additional vaccinations was 27.9% of the total population (14,304,492 people).

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