1916 New COVID-19 Cases Nationwide as of 9 PM... Highest Monday Count

After the Chuseok holiday, on the first working day, the 23rd, citizens returning to their daily lives are hurrying on their way to work on the streets of Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[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 9 p.m. on that day, a total of 1,916 new COVID-19 positive cases were reported nationwide.

This number is 423 fewer than the 2,339 cases reported during the same time frame the previous day, but 385 more than the mid-day tally of 1,531 cases recorded last Monday (September 20).

The figure of 1,916 itself is the highest number of confirmed cases recorded on a Monday. The previous highest was 1,729 cases, based on the final tally announced at midnight on Tuesday, September 21.

By region, the metropolitan area accounted for 1,352 cases (70.6%), and non-metropolitan areas had 564 cases (29.4%). By city and province, Seoul reported 672 cases, Gyeonggi 557, Daegu 124, Incheon 123, North Gyeongsang 76, South Gyeongsang 59, North Chungcheong 53, South Chungcheong 48, Daejeon 47, North Jeolla 40, Busan 28, Gwangju and Gangwon each 26, Ulsan 16, South Jeolla 12, Jeju 7, and Sejong 2. New confirmed cases were reported in all 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

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 at least the 2,000 range. The previous day saw an additional 44 cases after 9 p.m., closing at a final count of 2,383.

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 daily average for the week is about 2,288 cases, with locally transmitted cases averaging around 2,263.

Major cluster infection cases include a religious facility in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon, where a total of 9 people including congregants were infected, and a nursing home in Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi (second case) with 12 confirmed cases. Related to a courier company in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi, 11 people including workers and their families tested positive. In Jincheon-gun, North Chungcheong, a foreign futsal gathering resulted in 10 confirmed cases centered around attendees, and in Muju-gun, North Jeolla, 6 people including acquaintances and family members were infected at a social gathering.

Additionally, further confirmed cases occurred in existing cluster infections 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).