New COVID-19 Cases Total 501 by 6 PM...27 Fewer Than Yesterday (Comprehensive)

Seoul 192 and Metropolitan Area 349, Non-Metropolitan Area 152

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] On the weekend of the 15th, COVID-19 cases continued to spread across the country.

According to health authorities and local governments including Seoul, from midnight to 6 p.m. on that day, a total of 501 new COVID-19 positive cases were confirmed nationwide. This is 27 fewer than the 528 cases recorded at the same time the previous day, but typically, the number of tests decreases on weekends, leading to a decline in new confirmed cases.

Among the new cases, 349 (69.7%) were in the metropolitan area and 152 (30.3%) were in non-metropolitan areas. By city and province, there were 192 in Seoul, 142 in Gyeonggi, 44 in Gyeongnam, 30 in Busan, 15 in Incheon, 14 each in Chungbuk and Chungnam, 11 in Gyeongbuk, 10 in Gwangju, 8 each in Ulsan and Jeonnam, 7 in Jeonbuk, 3 in Daejeon, 2 in Gangwon, and 1 in Daegu. Among the 17 cities and provinces nationwide, no new cases have yet been reported in Sejong and Jeju.

Since the count closes at midnight, the number of new confirmed cases announced at 0:00 on the 16th is expected to increase to around 600. On the previous day, 152 additional cases were reported after 6 p.m., bringing the final total to 681.

From the 9th of this month to that day, the number of new confirmed cases over the past week were 564 → 463 → 511 → 635 → 715 → 747 → 681 per day, averaging 617 cases daily.

Among these, the key indicator for adjusting social distancing levels, the daily average of locally transmitted cases, was 591, which still falls within the 2.5 level range (nationwide 400?500 or more).

Regarding major cluster outbreaks, in an elementary school-affiliated kindergarten in Eumseong-gun, Chungbuk, one teacher and eight students were newly infected, increasing the cumulative confirmed cases to 11. In relation to a foreigner gathering in Gimhae, Gyeongnam, 14 additional cases were confirmed after 5 p.m. the previous day, bringing the total to 31.