1611 COVID-19 Cases Confirmed by 6 PM... 69 Fewer Than Yesterday

On the 26th, when 2,771 new COVID-19 cases were reported, 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 Song Seung-yoon] As the spread of COVID-19 shows no signs of slowing down, new confirmed cases continued nationwide on the 27th.

According to the quarantine authorities, Seoul city, and other local governments, from midnight to 6 p.m. on that day, a total of 1,611 new COVID-19 positive cases were reported nationwide.

This is 69 fewer than the 1,680 cases reported at the same time the previous day, but 394 more compared to the mid-day tally of 1,217 cases from a week ago on Monday, September 20.

By region, the metropolitan area accounted for 1,136 cases (70.5%), and non-metropolitan areas had 475 cases (29.5%). By city and province, the numbers were: Gyeonggi 556, Seoul 466, Incheon 114, Daegu 90, Gyeongbuk 76, Gyeongnam 59, Chungbuk 51, Chungnam 44, Daejeon 33, Jeonbuk 31, Busan 28, Gangwon 20, Gwangju 19, Jeonnam 12, and Ulsan and Jeju with 6 each. New cases were reported in 16 cities and provinces excluding Sejong.

Since the tally continues until midnight, the number of new confirmed cases announced at 0:00 on the 28th is expected to increase further, reaching the 2,000 range. On the previous day, 703 additional cases were reported after 6 p.m., closing at a final count of 2,383.

The daily confirmed cases have remained in four digits for 83 consecutive days since July 7 (1,211 cases). The 28th will mark the 84th day.

From the 21st to the 27th, the daily new confirmed cases over the past week were 1,729 → 1,720 → 1,715 → 2,431 → 3,271 → 2,770 → 2,383. The average daily new cases over the week were about 2,288, with locally transmitted cases averaging around 2,263 per day.

Regarding major cluster infection cases, a religious facility in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon reported a total of 9 infections among congregants. At a nursing home in Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi (second case), 12 people tested positive. Related to a courier company in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi, 11 workers and their families tested positive. In Jincheon-gun, Chungbuk, 10 cases were confirmed among a foreign futsal gathering, and in Muju-gun, Jeonbuk, 6 people including acquaintances and family members were infected at a social gathering.

Additionally, further confirmed cases occurred in existing cluster infection sites such as the Garak Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market in Songpa-gu, Seoul (cumulative 720 cases), and a foreign acquaintances gathering in Daegu (320 cases).