In the early morning of the 16th, water safety personnel are diving into the sea at Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung-si, Gangwon Province to check the sea conditions. On this day, all 82 beaches along the East Coast of Gangwon, with Gangneung as the last, officially opened. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] The number of new COVID-19 cases in Gangwon Province surged mainly along the East Coast, reaching 49 cases on the 16th, the highest daily count this year.
According to Gangwon Province health authorities, as of 9 p.m. that day, new COVID-19 cases were reported as follows: 22 in Gangneung, 8 in Wonju, 7 in Donghae, 3 in Samcheok, 2 each in Sokcho, Chuncheon, and Pyeongchang, and 1 each in Yangyang, Yeongwol, and Yanggu, totaling 49 cases. Since there is still time left for data collection, the number of confirmed cases may increase as more test results come in.
The highest daily number of confirmed cases in the province since the COVID-19 outbreak was 55 on December 19 last year. This year, the highest daily count was 48 on May 4, when a cluster infection occurred among foreign workers in Gangneung.
On this day, 36 of the confirmed cases occurred along the East Coast, accounting for 73% of the total cases in the province. It was the opening day for 82 beaches along the East Coast, including Gyeongpo Beach.
Among the 22 confirmed cases in Gangneung, 15 were aged 20 or younger. These included part-time workers, university students, and even soldiers. Most are believed to have been infected through contact with confirmed cases at gatherings with friends or acquaintances.
A restaurant worker in their 50s was infected through contact with a customer from the Seoul metropolitan area, and a person in their 20s tested positive after being in the same space as a confirmed customer at a restaurant in Hannam-dong, Seoul, following diagnostic testing.
In Donghae, six high school students tested positive after contact with classmates who were confirmed cases the previous day. One middle school student is suspected to have been infected through a private tutor in Samcheok.
In Samcheok, two elementary school students and a person in their 60s tested positive after contact with a private tutor. This brings the total number of confirmed cases related to the Samcheok private tutor to seven. Additionally, sporadic COVID-19 cases were reported in Chuncheon, Sokcho, Yeongwol, and Yanggu.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Gangwon Province has reached 3,872. As the fourth wave of the pandemic spreads nationwide beyond the Seoul metropolitan area, the government is pushing to limit private gatherings to 'fewer than five people.' Currently, social distancing measures in the province are at level 3 only in Gangneung, while the other 17 cities and counties are under level 2.
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