539 New COVID-19 Cases Reported by 6 PM... 600s Expected Tomorrow

Twice as Many as 269 People at 6 PM the Previous Day

On the 20th, when the number of new COVID-19 cases remained in the 400s for the second consecutive day at 429, medical staff at a temporary screening clinic set up in Seoul Station Plaza are collecting samples from citizens. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The number of new domestic COVID-19 cases, which had been declining recently, surged again on the 22nd.

According to the quarantine authorities and local governments including Seoul, as of 6 p.m. that day, a total of 539 people nationwide tested positive for COVID-19. This is more than double the 269 cases recorded at the same time the previous day. The 'weekend effect,' which saw a decrease in the number of tests, disappeared, and large-scale cluster infections occurred in places such as Daejeon, leading to an increase in confirmed cases.

By region, there were 217 cases in Seoul, 153 in Gyeonggi, 50 in Daejeon, 22 in Incheon, 18 in Gyeongbuk, 17 in Gangwon, 16 in Busan, 15 in Gyeongnam, 9 in Chungnam, 8 in Chungbuk, 7 in Daegu, 3 in Gwangju, and 2 each in Ulsan and Jeonnam. No confirmed cases have yet been reported in Sejong, Jeonbuk, or Jeju. The metropolitan area accounted for 392 cases, while non-metropolitan areas had 147 cases.

Since there is still time until midnight when the tally closes, the number of new confirmed cases to be announced at midnight on the 23rd is expected to reach the mid-to-high 600s. On the previous day, 126 additional cases were confirmed after 6 p.m.

Recently, cluster infections linked to everyday settings such as family and acquaintances' gatherings have continued to occur. In Yongsan-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 33 people tested positive at once in connection with a church and family, raising the cumulative number of confirmed cases to 54. Authorities are currently conducting tests on about 150 people, including church members and students of a missionary alternative school located in the same building as the church. Additionally, in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, 10 people were confirmed positive, mainly among acquaintances and family members.