COVID-19 New Cases 51... 50s Range After 8 Days (Update)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea increased by 51 on the 6th. Due to a series of cluster infections in the metropolitan area, the daily number of new confirmed cases surged back to the 50s for the first time in eight days.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced that as of midnight on that day, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose by 51 from the previous day’s midnight to 11,719.

The number of new confirmed cases had been decreasing over four days from the 28th to the 31st of last month, with 79 → 58 → 39 → 27 cases, but due to cluster infections in small church gatherings in the metropolitan area, the daily new cases recorded 30 to 40 for five consecutive days starting from the 1st of this month, before rising to the 50s on this day.

Exceeding 50, the baseline of the 'everyday social distancing' quarantine system, occurred for the first time since the 29th of last month (58 cases), and this is the third time since April 8th (53 cases).

Among the new confirmed cases, 46 were domestic, and the remaining 5 were identified during quarantine. Of the 46 domestic cases, 42 occurred in the metropolitan area, with 23 in Seoul, 11 in Incheon, and 8 in Gyeonggi Province. Additionally, one case each was added in North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, South Chungcheong, and Gangwon provinces. By infection route, 43 were local transmissions and 8 were imported cases.

The highest number of new confirmed cases occurred at Richway, a door-to-door sales company located in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. After a man in his 70s was first confirmed positive on the 2nd, the number increased to 34 within three days. Notably, among the 34 confirmed cases related to Richway, 25, or 73%, were elderly individuals.