As of 9 PM, 1,649 new COVID-19 cases nationwide... Around 1,800 expected on the 5th

On the 4th, with 1,725 new COVID-19 cases reported, returning to the 1,700 range after five days, citizens visiting the temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza are waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] As the domestic COVID-19 '4th wave' shows little sign of subsiding, confirmed cases continued to emerge across the country on the 4th.

According to the quarantine authorities, Seoul city, and other local governments, a total of 1,649 new COVID-19 cases were reported from midnight to 9 p.m. on that day. This is 84 more than the 1,565 cases recorded at the same time the previous day.

Looking at the regions where confirmed cases were reported, 1,018 cases (61.7%) were in the metropolitan area, and 631 cases (38.3%) were in non-metropolitan areas. By city and province, Gyeonggi had 471 cases, Seoul 460, Daegu 116, Incheon 87, Busan 84, Gyeongnam 76, Chungnam 64, Daejeon 63, Gyeongbuk 60, Chungbuk 45, Gangwon 31, Jeju 24, Jeonnam 18, Gwangju and Jeonbuk each 17, Ulsan 13, and Sejong 3.

Since there is still time until midnight when the tally closes, the number of new confirmed cases to be announced at midnight on the 5th is expected to be in the high 1,700s to the 1,800s.

The '4th wave,' which began in early last month centered on the metropolitan area, has recently spread to non-metropolitan areas, growing into a nationwide epidemic. The daily confirmed cases have remained in the four-digit range for 29 consecutive days since the 7th of last month (1,212 cases).