On the 23rd, citizens are getting tested at a temporary screening clinic for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) set up at Sinchon Station on the Gyeongui Line in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] On the 23rd, new COVID-19 cases continued to emerge nationwide, with small-scale cluster infections occurring in places such as churches, hospitals, and bathhouses.
According to health authorities and local governments including Seoul, from midnight to 6 p.m. on the same day, a total of 695 new confirmed cases were reported nationwide, which is 23 fewer than the same time the previous day. Since there is still time until the cutoff at midnight on the 24th, the total number of confirmed cases is expected to reach around 1,000.
Among the 695 cases reported in the interim tally by region, 471 cases (67.8%) were from the metropolitan area, and 224 cases (32.2%) were from non-metropolitan areas.
By region, the numbers are as follows: Gyeonggi 230, Seoul 192, Incheon 49, North Gyeongsang 43, North Chungcheong 40, Busan 35, South Chungcheong 19, Gangwon 18, Daegu 17, South Gyeongsang 16, Gwangju 13, Ulsan 7, North Jeolla 6, Jeju 5, Daejeon 3, South Jeolla 2. Among the 17 provinces and cities nationwide, Sejong has not reported any additional confirmed cases so far.
While about 50 cluster infections have been occurring weekly recently, in the past week, there has been a sharp increase in cluster outbreaks in religious facilities, medical institutions, and nursing homes.
Major cluster infection cases include 30 confirmed cases related to a welfare facility for the disabled in Paju, Gyeonggi Province; 80 cases at Chamsarang Nursing Home in Cheongju, North Chungcheong; 142 cases at hospitals in Goesan, Eumseong, and Jincheon counties in North Chungcheong; 37 cases at a religious facility in Dong-gu, Daegu; and 119 cases linked to religious facilities, gatherings, and saunas in Jeju.
In Seoul on the same day, three new confirmed cases related to a church in Geumcheon-gu were reported, bringing the total to 19 infected. One additional case was reported related to a church in Seongbuk-gu (cumulative 26), and one more case related to a facility in Dongdaemun-gu (cumulative 15) was also added.
Two more confirmed cases related to a nursing hospital in Guro-gu were added, bringing the total to 109. Confirmed cases related to a hospital in Nowon-gu increased by one to 24.
Two confirmed cases related to Call Center II in Jung-gu (cumulative 27), one case related to Pagoda Town in Jongno-gu (cumulative 227), and one case related to an insurance company in Mapo-gu (cumulative 14) were also reported.
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