COVID-19 Patients Increase by 813 in One Day to Total 3,150... 17 Deaths Reported (Update)

Image source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea increased by 813 in a single day on the 29th, surpassing a cumulative total of 3,000. Among the confirmed cases, the total number of deaths rose to 17, and 2 additional patients were declared recovered and released from quarantine.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19, as of 4 p.m. on the day, the total cumulative confirmed cases in the country reached 3,150. From 9 a.m., when the count was 2,931, an additional 219 cases were confirmed within half a day, exceeding 3,000. It has been 40 days since the first confirmed case was reported domestically on the 20th of last month, and just one day after surpassing 2,000 cases yesterday, over 1,000 new cases were added, causing the number of patients to increase at an uncontrollable speed. The number of new confirmed cases added in the 24 hours from 4 p.m. the previous day was 813.

In Daegu, where a cluster infection occurred mainly among members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, 181 new patients were added during the day. The cumulative confirmed cases in this region reached 2,236. In Gyeongbuk, centered around Cheongdo Daenam Hospital, 19 additional cases were reported in the afternoon, bringing the total to 488. The cumulative confirmed cases in Daegu and Gyeongbuk (2,724) account for 86.5% of the nationwide total. The health authorities have prioritized diagnostic testing for 1,299 symptomatic individuals among approximately 9,300 Shincheonji Daegu church members, and as positive cases continue to emerge from this group, the number of confirmed cases is expected to rapidly increase in the Daegu area over the next few days.

Additional cases were also reported in other regions during the day: 7 in Gyeongnam, 6 in Gyeonggi, 3 in Seoul, 3 in Busan, and 1 in Jeonnam. In Daejeon, one confirmed case announced in the morning was reclassified as belonging to Daegu, reducing the cumulative cases there to 13.

Compared to the morning, the number of deaths increased by 1 and the number of recovered patients increased by 2. According to Daegu city, a 77-year-old male COVID-19 patient at Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital passed away that morning. He was counted as the 17th death in the afternoon tally. Health authorities are investigating the cause of death and its relation to COVID-19.

Among previously confirmed patients, patient number 21 (female, born 1960) and patient number 23 (female, born 1962) showed symptom improvement and were released from isolation on the day. COVID-19 patients are released from isolation if 48 hours have passed since symptoms disappeared and two consecutive real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests conducted 24 hours apart show negative results. This constitutes a recovery determination from the infectious disease. Additionally, the attending medical staff make the final decision on discharge considering the patient's underlying conditions and aftereffects.

Meanwhile, patient number 25 (female, born 1946), residing in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, was re-confirmed positive and re-isolated. This patient was discharged after being declared recovered on the 22nd but tested positive again the previous afternoon. Health authorities stated, "The patient is quite elderly and is presumed to have experienced a relapse of COVID-19 due to a weakened immune system."

As of 4 p.m. on the day, the total number of patients released from isolation reached 28.