Over 1,000 Cases for Six Consecutive Days... No Weekend Effect

Rapid Increase Outside Capital Area... Warning of 2,000 Cases Becoming Reality
Infection Spread per Confirmed Case Also Accelerating

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea reached a record high of 1,100 on Sunday. As the '4th wave' spreads, the number of new cases has exceeded 1,000 for six consecutive days.

Concerns are growing that if this trend continues, the number of confirmed cases could surpass 2,000 by the end of this month.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on the 12th, 1,100 new cases were reported, bringing the total to 169,146. Of these, 1,063 were domestic cases and 37 were imported.

By region, Seoul reported 402 cases, Gyeonggi 322, and Incheon 51, with the metropolitan area accounting for 775 cases, or 72.9% of the total.

The virus is also spreading rapidly to non-metropolitan areas. Major regions such as Busan and Chungnam each reported 43 cases, Gyeongnam 40, and Daegu 37, with the proportion of cases outside the metropolitan area rising to 27.1% of the total.

Amid the intense spread, the number of voluntary testers has increased, with 181 new positive cases confirmed at temporary screening centers nationwide the previous day.

The infection reproduction number, which indicates the spread of COVID-19, is also rising rapidly. The reproduction number, which was between 1.21 and 1.29 until the 8th, is expected to increase significantly this week.

The reproduction number indicates how many people one infected person can infect. Health authorities analyzed that if the reproduction number worsens to about 1.71 by the end of this month, the number of confirmed cases could reach 2,140.

To curb the rapidly increasing spread in the metropolitan area, the government raised the social distancing level to the highest, Level 4, for two weeks from today until the 25th.

President Moon Jae-in will hold a special metropolitan area quarantine inspection meeting at the Blue House at 2 p.m. today to review the central and local governments' quarantine measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.