One in Four Koreans Infected with COVID-19... Cumulative Cases Exceed 13 Million

310,096 New COVID-19 Cases Nationwide by 9 PM on the 30th

On the 25th, as the spread of COVID-19 continues, citizens keep coming to the temporary screening clinic at Seoul Station to get tested. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Amid the ongoing Omicron variant surge, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases has surpassed 13 million. Based on South Korea's population of 51.62 million, this means that one in every four people has been infected with COVID-19.

According to Seoul City and other local governments on the 31st, from midnight to 9 p.m. the previous day, 310,396 people across 17 cities and provinces nationwide were confirmed positive for COVID-19. Since the cumulative number of confirmed cases was 12,774,956 as of midnight on the 30th, the cumulative total had already exceeded 13,088,000 by 9 p.m. that day.

The number of confirmed cases from midnight to 9 p.m. on this day was 101,072 fewer than the 414,168 cases recorded during the same time period on the 29th.

Compared to the count at the same time one week earlier on the 23rd (380,277 cases), it decreased by 67,181, and compared to two weeks earlier on the 16th (549,854 cases), it was 236,758 fewer. Considering additional cases reported until midnight when the count closes, the new cases announced on the morning of the 31st are expected to be around 320,000.

Although daily new cases continue to range between 300,000 and 400,000, the overall scale has decreased compared to the same days one to two weeks ago. Accordingly, health authorities diagnose that the COVID-19 wave driven by the Omicron variant has passed its peak phase and is showing a gradual decline.

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at a briefing of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters the previous day, "The number of confirmed cases has been decreasing steadily since the peak two weeks ago," adding, "It is an important time for this downward trend to continue and become clearer." However, he explained, "The decline is still gradual," noting that "there are still many confirmed cases averaging around 300,000 per day, and there is uncertainty due to the spread of the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron."

The number of critically ill patients, which occurs with a time lag after the surge in confirmed cases, reached a record high of 1,301 the previous day. Deaths also numbered 432, the second highest since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the government held a COVID-19 Recovery Support Committee meeting in the afternoon to hear opinions from quarantine and medical experts, small business and self-employed groups, and related ministries, reviewing the extent of easing in the 'social distancing' adjustment plan to be applied from next week. The Presidential Transition Committee ordered health authorities the previous day to consider abolishing restrictions on operating hours for multi-use facilities.

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