454 Cases Reported in Seoul... Unlikely to Reach 600
Four-Digit Daily Cases Expected for 9 Consecutive Days
[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] As the fourth wave of COVID-19 intensifies, the number of confirmed cases has exceeded 1,000 for two consecutive days at 6 p.m.
According to the quarantine authorities, Seoul city, and other local governments on the 14th, from midnight to 6 p.m. nationwide, a total of 1,263 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed. This is 25 fewer than the 1,288 cases recorded at the same time the previous day.
The first time the number of confirmed cases exceeded 1,000 in the interim tally at 6 p.m. was on the 6th (1,006 cases). Since then, the daily counts have been 1,010 → 1,039 → 1,050 → 922 → 921 → 903 → 1,288 → 1,263.
On this day, the metropolitan area recorded the highest number of confirmed cases. There were 950 cases (75.2%) in the metropolitan area and 313 cases (24.8%) in non-metropolitan areas. This includes cases imported from overseas. By city and province, the confirmed cases were: Seoul 454, Gyeonggi 421, Incheon 75, Busan 60, Gyeongnam 49, Chungnam 48, Daegu 44, Daejeon 22, Gangwon 17, Gwangju 15, Jeonbuk 12, Gyeongbuk 11, Jeonnam 10, Chungbuk and Jeju 9 each, and Ulsan 7. Among the 17 cities and provinces nationwide, Sejong has not yet reported any confirmed cases.
Seoul recorded 109 fewer cases than the same time the previous day but still shows a rapid surge. From the 6th to the 13th, the daily confirmed cases were 583 → 550 → 503 → 509 → 509 → 403 → 417 → 638, averaging 514 cases per day. The 638 new confirmed cases on the 13th set a record for the highest number of daily cases in Seoul. The number of tests conducted also reached a record high with 78,218 on the 12th, followed by 75,893 on the 13th, the third highest ever.
When the tally closes at midnight (15:00), the number of new confirmed cases is expected to increase to around 1,600. The previous day saw an additional 327 cases after 6 p.m., closing at 1,615. The metropolitan area is also expected to record over 1,000 cases again, following 1,179 cases the previous day. However, Seoul is predicted not to reach the 600-case level as it did the previous day.
With the spread of the fourth wave of COVID-19, the number of confirmed cases first exceeded four digits on the 8th. It is expected to continue this four-digit record for nine consecutive days until the 15th. The number of new confirmed cases over the past week was 1,275 → 1,316 → 1,378 → 1,324 → 1,100 → 1,150 → 1,615, averaging 1,308 cases per day.
The average daily number of locally transmitted cases is about 1,256. In particular, Seoul records an average of 499 cases per day, significantly exceeding the level for the fourth stage (389 or more).
Recently, cluster infections have been occurring in various daily life settings such as workplaces and schools. In a workplace in Jung-gu, Seoul, a total of 16 people tested positive, and 17 people were infected at an elementary school in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon. At the Hyundai Department Store Trade Center branch in Seoul, 14 additional confirmed cases were reported, increasing the cumulative confirmed cases to at least 147.
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