[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] The spread of COVID-19 continues mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area. The number of new confirmed cases has remained in the four digits for 78 consecutive days. On the last day of the Chuseok holiday, the 22nd, the number of new confirmed cases was 1,720.
The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on the 22nd, there were 1,703 new domestic cases and 17 imported cases confirmed. Although slightly lower than the previous day, the number remains in the 1,700s for two consecutive days.
Compared to the recent scale of cases exceeding 2,000, this is a smaller number, but it is interpreted as an effect of reduced testing during the Chuseok holiday period. It is difficult to say that the spread has been curbed. The daily number of domestic COVID-19 cases has remained in the four digits for 78 consecutive days since July 7. The total cumulative number of confirmed cases reached 290,983 (including 14,239 imported cases) on this day.
There are particular concerns about a nationwide resurgence due to large-scale population movement following the Chuseok holiday.
Looking at the infection routes of new confirmed cases on this day, 1,703 were domestic cases and 17 were imported. By region, Seoul had 641 cases, Gyeonggi 528, and Incheon 145, totaling 1,314 cases (77.2%) in the Seoul metropolitan area. Although this is lower than the 80% range a week ago, the spread remains severe, centered on the metropolitan area. Non-metropolitan areas reported 389 cases in total: Chungnam 61, Daegu 41, Gwangju 40, Busan 38, Gangwon 33, Gyeongnam 29, Gyeongbuk 27, Chungbuk and Jeonbuk 26 each, Jeonnam 23, Ulsan 20, Daejeon 16, Jeju 5, and Sejong 4.
The number of imported confirmed cases was 17, down 15 from the previous day (32). Six were identified during quarantine at airports or ports. The remaining 11 tested positive while in self-quarantine at their residences or temporary living facilities in Seoul and Incheon (3 each), and Gyeonggi, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, and Gyeongbuk (1 each).
Combining domestic and imported cases (excluding quarantine), the Seoul metropolitan area totals 1,321 cases: Seoul 644, Gyeonggi 529, and Incheon 148.
The number of deaths increased by 6 from the previous day, reaching a cumulative total of 2,419. The domestic average fatality rate is 0.83%. The number of critically ill patients is 317, down 11 from the previous day. Newly released from isolation were 1,722, bringing the total to 261,812 (89.98%) released from isolation, with 26,752 currently in isolation.
The total number of tests conducted was 99,473. The number of suspected case tests was 31,151, tests at temporary screening clinics in the metropolitan area were 51,688 (with 340 confirmed cases), and tests at temporary screening clinics in non-metropolitan areas were 16,634 (with 66 confirmed cases).
As of midnight on this day, the cumulative domestic positivity rate was 2.06%.
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