[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Eun-byeol] As the third wave of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) spreads nationwide, the number of new confirmed cases again reached the 1,000s on the 19th.
The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on the 19th, there were 1,053 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 48,570.
Following the 16th to 18th (1,078 → 1,014 → 1,062), the number has exceeded 1,000 for four consecutive days. Since first rising to the 1,000s on the 13th (1,030), the four-digit figures have continued daily. The number of new confirmed cases exceeding 100 has continued for 42 days from the 8th of last month to this day.
Looking at the infection routes of the new confirmed cases on this day, 1,029 were locally transmitted and 24 were imported from overseas. The number of locally transmitted cases decreased by 7 from the previous day (1,036) but still exceeded 1,000.
Over the past week (December 13?19), the average daily number of new confirmed cases was 976.4, while the key indicator for adjusting social distancing levels, the average daily number of locally transmitted cases, reached 948.9. By region, the metropolitan area accounted for 692 cases: Seoul 382, Gyeonggi 264, and Incheon 46.
In non-metropolitan areas, Chungbuk recorded 103 cases, marking a triple-digit figure and the highest in the region. This was followed by Busan with 39, Gyeongnam 32, Gyeongbuk 29, Gangwon 27, Chungnam and Jeju with 24 each, Daegu 20, Jeonbuk 13, Gwangju 9, Ulsan 7, and Daejeon and Jeonnam with 5 each. The total number of confirmed cases in non-metropolitan areas was 337, marking the first time it exceeded 300.
Major infection cases include an additional 12 cases related to the construction site of the Yongsan Trade Center in Seoul, bringing the total to 88, and the cumulative confirmed cases related to Yangji Nursing Hospital in Ulsan increased to 229.
Additionally, confirmed cases have surged in various places such as ▲a religious facility in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul (total 15), ▲a semiconductor company in Bucheon, Gyeonggi (14), ▲a hospital in Goesan-gun, Chungbuk (22), and ▲a family cluster in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk (17).
The number of deaths increased by 14 from the previous day, totaling 659. The domestic average fatality rate is 1.36%. The number of critically ill patients whose condition is severe or worsening increased by 29 from the previous day to 275. The number of COVID-19 diagnostic tests conducted in one day was 56,450, which is 5,495 more than the previous day's 50,955.
The positivity rate calculated based on the number of tests conducted the previous day was 1.87% (1,053 out of 56,450), down from 2.08% (1,062 out of 50,955) the day before. As of midnight on this day, the cumulative positivity rate was 1.33% (48,570 out of 3,646,247).
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