New COVID-19 Cases Over 2,000 for Two Consecutive Days...Capital Region Accounts for 73.8% (Update)

2047 Local Cases, 40 Imported Cases
2087 Total... Record High for a Friday

On the 17th, ahead of the major national holiday Chuseok, citizens lined up to get tested at the temporary screening clinic at the Express Bus Terminal in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] On the 18th, the number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea remained in the 2,000s for the second consecutive day.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight on that day, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases increased by 2,087 from the previous day, totaling 284,022 cases. Regarding the infection routes, 2,047 cases were locally transmitted, and 40 cases were imported from overseas.

In the metropolitan area, the number of locally transmitted cases was 1,510, with 700 in Seoul, 665 in Gyeonggi, and 145 in Incheon. The metropolitan area accounted for 73.8% of the total confirmed cases. Among non-metropolitan regions, Jeonbuk reported the highest number of new cases with 72. This was followed by Chungnam and Daegu with 71 each, Busan 49, Gangwon 48, Gyeongnam and Daejeon 43 each, Chungbuk 39, Ulsan 33, Gwangju 25, Gyeongbuk 22, Sejong 12, Jeonnam 6, and Jeju 3.

The total number of tests conducted in one day exceeded 140,000. At temporary screening clinics set up in the metropolitan area, 88,988 tests were conducted, confirming 460 positive cases, while 12,546 tests were conducted at non-metropolitan temporary screening clinics, confirming 83 positive cases.

The number of critically ill patients decreased by 3 from the previous day to 329. The cumulative death toll increased by 5 to 2,394.

Meanwhile, according to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team, 658,121 people newly received their first vaccine dose the previous day. The cumulative number of first-dose recipients reached 36,075,026. The first-dose vaccination rate exceeded 70%. Additionally, 442,993 people newly completed their vaccination, bringing the total vaccination completion rate relative to the population to 42.7%.

Reports of suspected adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination increased by 12,703 cases as of midnight from the 16th to the 18th. The cumulative number of reported cases reached 239,935. There were 60 additional suspected cases of anaphylaxis, 356 cases of neurological adverse reactions, and 32 new deaths reported.