National COVID-19 Cases Reach 1,474 by 6 PM... Rising Trend Resumes After Holiday

On the 5th, medical staff are preparing for the operation of a temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Eun-mo] As the spread of COVID-19 continues nationwide, confirmed cases have been reported one after another across the country. In particular, the number of confirmed cases, which had somewhat decreased due to the past weekend and the National Foundation Day holiday, has returned to an increasing trend immediately after the holiday ended.

According to the quarantine authorities, Seoul city, and other local governments, from midnight to 6 p.m. on the 5th, a total of 1,474 new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported nationwide. This is 307 more than the 1,167 cases recorded at the same time the previous day, and 564 fewer than the 2,038 cases recorded on Tuesday, September 28, a week ago.

Looking at the regions where confirmed cases were reported, 1,046 cases (71.0%) were in the metropolitan area, and 428 cases (29.0%) were in non-metropolitan areas. By city and province, Seoul reported 530 cases, Gyeonggi 395, Incheon 121, Gyeongnam 116, Gyeongbuk and Daegu each 55, Chungnam 47, Busan 38, Chungbuk 28, Gangwon 27, Jeonbuk and Daejeon each 16, Gwangju 14, Jeonnam 9, Jeju 4, and Ulsan 3. Among the 17 cities and provinces nationwide, Sejong has not yet reported any confirmed cases.

Since there is still time left until midnight, when the tally is finalized, the number of new confirmed cases announced at midnight on the 6th is expected to increase further to around 1,800. On the previous day, 408 cases were added after 6 p.m., closing at a final count of 1,575.

The fourth wave, which began in early July this year, shows no signs of subsiding even after three months. The daily number of confirmed cases has recorded four digits for 91 consecutive days since July 7 (1,211 cases), and the 6th will mark the 92nd day.

Looking at the new confirmed cases reported over the past week from the 28th of last month to today, the daily numbers were 2,884 → 2,562 → 2,486 → 2,248 → 2,085 → 1,673 → 1,575, showing that except for the last two days, more than 2,000 cases were reported daily.

Regarding major infection cases, as of midnight on the 5th, 46 confirmed cases have been linked to the Mapo-gu market in Seoul, and at least 39 cases have been confirmed related to a nursing hospital in Dobong-gu. The number of confirmed cases related to a foreign acquaintance gathering in Daegu continues to rise, reaching a cumulative total of 717. At a bathhouse in Seo-gu, Busan, 14 people including workers and users tested positive, and a total of 56 cases were confirmed related to a factory in Yangsan-si, Gyeongnam.