Non-Capital Region Risk Level 'Medium' for First Time in 5 Weeks...Weekly Reinfection Rate 9.72% (Update)

On the 13th, when 57,309 new COVID-19 cases were reported, citizens who visited the screening clinic set up at the Yongsan-gu Public Health Center in Seoul were waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to decline, the weekly risk level in non-metropolitan areas has been downgraded from 'high' to 'medium' for the first time in five weeks.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 13th, the weekly number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the first week of this month was 479,788, a 19.9% decrease compared to the previous week. The infection reproduction number was 0.87, slightly higher than the previous week (0.83), but it remained below 1 for three consecutive weeks. Considering this epidemic situation, the health authorities lowered the weekly risk level in non-metropolitan areas to 'medium' for the first time in five weeks.

The weekly number of COVID-19 confirmed cases has been decreasing for three consecutive weeks after peaking in the third week of last month. The numbers were 893,044 in the third week of August → 769,440 in the fourth week of August → 598,705 in the fifth week of August → 479,788 in the first week of September. Although cases decreased across all age groups, the proportion of high-risk groups aged 60 and over among total confirmed cases has been steadily increasing. It rose from 24.0% in the fifth week of August to 24.9% in the first week of this month.

The proportion of suspected reinfection cases among weekly confirmed cases was 9.72% as of the fifth week of last month. This means that 1 out of 10 confirmed cases is a reinfection. The reinfection rate among weekly confirmed cases has been increasing weekly from 6.65% in the second week of last month, 7.64% in the third week, to 9.65% in the fourth week. As of the 4th, among the cumulative 23,005,133 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, suspected reinfection cases totaled 416,881 (1.81%).

The BA.5 variant, which has become the dominant strain domestically, was detected at a rate of 97.1%. The detection rate of the BA.4.6 variant, which has been increasing recently in the United States, is 0.1%, with a cumulative total of 24 cases confirmed domestically. It was first detected on July 7, with 11 cases in July, 8 cases in August, and 5 cases this month.

The health authorities forecast that confirmed cases may increase after the Chuseok holiday. Im Sook-young, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters' Situation Management Division, said, "According to modeling experts' predictions, the number of confirmed cases is expected to gradually decrease for the time being, and if there are no major variables such as the spread of new variants, the possibility of a large-scale outbreak is low for the time being," but added, "As with last year's Chuseok holiday, the number of confirmed cases may increase due to the Chuseok holiday this year as well."

There is also a possibility that influenza (flu), which had been quiet during the COVID-19 outbreak, may spread simultaneously. Director Im said, "Influenza was almost nonexistent for the past two years, but this year, since July, the incidence level has unusually increased," adding, "There is a high possibility that influenza will spread simultaneously while COVID-19 is prevalent."

He continued, "Both are respiratory infectious diseases with symptoms such as cough, fever, and sore throat, so it is crucial for patients to be accurately diagnosed at medical institutions and promptly connected to treatment," and explained, "The government is currently reviewing methods for simultaneous testing of COVID-19 and influenza."

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