COVID-19 New Cases 50 Yesterday... Lowest in 48 Days (Update)

Central Disease Control Headquarters, Domestic Status as of 0:00 on the 28th
40 Local Infections · 10 Imported Cases

Eight janitors belonging to a cleaning service company working at Sindorim Station in Seoul have been infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). On the 28th, the office where they ate lunch and took breaks was closed. According to Guro District, on the 25th, one janitor working at Sindorim Station was confirmed positive for COVID-19, and after testing 16 colleagues working together, seven additional cases were confirmed. It is presumed that the virus spread while they were eating lunch and taking breaks together in the station's rest area without wearing masks. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] On the 28th, the newly confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) were counted at 50. Among them, 40 cases are presumed to be domestic community infections, and 10 cases are imported from overseas. The number of new confirmed cases has been in double digits for three consecutive days, and this is the first time since mid-last month, when an outbreak centered around churches in the Seoul metropolitan area occurred, that the daily new cases have been below 50. However, due to a decrease in diagnostic testing over the weekend and the increased likelihood of travel during the upcoming holiday week, the quarantine authorities have become alert.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, the newly confirmed cases on this day were 50, the lowest level in 48 days since the 34 cases on the 11th of last month. The double-digit new cases, which was the first target set by the quarantine authorities, have continued for three consecutive days since the 26th. After the first patient was found among the believers of Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on the 12th of last month, it was confirmed that infections spread mainly among many church members and contacts, resulting in 300 to 400 new cases daily in mid to late last month. Compared to that time, the decreasing trend continues.

Considering that some screening clinics or private testing institutions are closed over the weekend, reducing the number of diagnostic tests, it is difficult to definitively say that the scale of new confirmed cases has significantly decreased. The number of diagnostic tests conducted on suspected patients was 4,786 on the previous day and 6,172 on the 26th, which is only about half compared to over 10,000 tests conducted on weekdays. Nevertheless, the quarantine authorities believe that the overall decreasing trend is accurate.

Looking at the new confirmed cases by region on this day, the Seoul metropolitan area, including Seoul, accounts for 34 cases, still the majority. Four new cases were confirmed in Gyeongbuk, and one case each in Busan, Ulsan, Gangwon, Chungbuk, and Gyeongnam. There were no new confirmed cases on the previous day in Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, and Jeju.

Among the imported confirmed cases, seven were identified at the quarantine stage, and three were confirmed while in isolation in the community. By nationality, seven are Korean nationals and three are foreigners. The foreign nationalities are one each from Uzbekistan, Nepal, and Qatar. The number of patients in critical or severe condition is 120, four fewer than the previous day. Five people died, increasing the total domestic death toll to 406.