New COVID-19 Cases at 33,248, More Than Double Compared to Last Week (Update)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byun Seon-jin] The number of new COVID-19 cases more than doubled compared to last week, soaring to over 33,000.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 18th, as of midnight, 33,248 new COVID-19 cases were added, bringing the total cumulative cases to 25,164,695. Among these, 33,161 were domestic cases, and 87 were imported cases.

The number of new cases increased by 17,772 from a week ago (15,476), more than doubling. The number of new cases has been rising for five consecutive days compared to the previous week, with the increase on this day being even greater. On the 17th, Jeong Ki-seok, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' COVID-19 Special Response Team, stated that "the decline in the re-outbreak has stopped," and predicted that a full-scale outbreak could occur in early December.

The daily new cases over the past week from the 12th to this day were 30,535 → 26,957 → 23,583 → 22,844 → 21,469 → 11,040 → 33,248.

The number of critically ill patients hospitalized decreased by one from the previous day to 247. The number of critically ill patients over the past week from the 12th to this day was 263 → 266 → 237 → 245 → 247 → 248 → 247. The nationwide critical care bed occupancy rate is 18.2%, with 17.2% in the metropolitan area and 20.8% in non-metropolitan areas.

The number of COVID-19 deaths reported the previous day was six, four fewer than the day before. By age group, there was one person aged 80 or older, three in their 70s, and two in their 60s. The total cumulative deaths stand at 28,857, with a fatality rate of 0.11%.

Currently, 135,066 confirmed patients are undergoing home treatment, with 28,313 new home treatment cases reported the previous day.

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