Record High Number of Imported COVID-19 Cases... Severe and Critical Patients Back to 100s

71,170 New Confirmed Cases... Over 400 Inbound Travelers Tested Positive
One Additional Case of Kentauros Confirmed
Cluster Infections Continue in Nursing Hospitals and Military Units

On the 21st, citizens are waiting for testing at the COVID-19 screening clinic at Dongdaemun-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

The sixth wave of COVID-19 is progressing faster than expected, with the number of critically ill patients once again exceeding 100. The number of confirmed cases among overseas arrivals also surpassed 400 per day, marking the highest figure since the outbreak began. Additional cases of the new subvariant BA.2.75 (nicknamed 'Centaurus') have also been confirmed.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 21st, as of midnight, the number of new COVID-19 cases increased by 71,170 from the previous day, maintaining the 70,000 range for three consecutive days. Although this is 5,232 fewer than the previous day (76,402), it is 1.83 times higher than a week ago on the 14th (39,182) and 3.88 times higher than two weeks ago on the 7th (18,502).

As a result, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases to date has reached 19,009,080. This is 57 days after surpassing 18 million cumulative cases on May 25.

With the rapid increase in cases, health authorities raised their forecast for the peak of the resurgence, which was initially expected to be between 150,000 and 200,000 cases, just the day before. Im Suk-young, the Situation General Manager of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, stated, "The peak is expected to be reached between mid to late August," adding, "We predict the number will increase to over 200,000 or even up to 280,000."

The number of COVID-19 cases among overseas arrivals reached 429 the previous day, far exceeding the previous record of 406 on January 14. Health authorities also confirmed yesterday that one of the confirmed cases who arrived from India on the 5th was infected with the BA.2.75 variant, and an epidemiological investigation is currently underway. This is the second case following the BA.2.75 case confirmed on the 14th.

As cases surge, the number of critically ill patients hospitalized has again exceeded 100 for the first time in 40 days. Currently, there are 107 critically ill patients, the highest since July 10 (107 patients). Deaths have also been occurring at a rate of 10 or more per day since the 13th of this month. During the Omicron surge in March, the highest daily death toll was 469 (March 24), and critically ill patients peaked at 1,315 (March 31). Since then, deaths dropped to as low as 2 per day (July 5), and critically ill patients to 50 (June 25), but are now rising again.

Professor Eom Jung-sik of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Gachon University Gil Medical Center emphasized, "Even though the currently dominant BA.5 variant has a low fatality rate, prolonged spread inevitably leads to more deaths," adding, "We must focus on protecting high-risk groups through fourth vaccinations and strengthening management of nursing facilities."

Cluster infections are also continuing. Since the beginning of this month, 128 people were infected at a nursing hospital in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, followed by 144 confirmed cases among trainees and others at a military unit in Jeollanam-do. Yesterday, 159 students and teachers at a high school in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, who had returned from a school trip, tested positive.

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