19,518 New COVID-19 Cases... Daily Record Highs Amid Omicron Spread

Surge in Both Capital and Non-Capital Regions
Severe Cases Decrease to 350
Deaths 34...Cumulative Fatality Rate 0.86%

Due to the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the number of new confirmed cases exceeded 10,000 for the first time on the 26th, and citizens are visiting a temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] As the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant intensifies, the daily number of new confirmed cases reached a record high again on the 27th.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight on this day, the number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases increased by 14,518, bringing the total confirmed cases to 777,497. The number of new confirmed cases rose by 1,506 from 13,012 the previous day, surpassing 14,000 for the first time.

Since the Omicron variant, which is more than twice as transmissible as the existing Delta variant, became the dominant strain in the country, the number of new confirmed cases has surged. The new confirmed cases on this day are double the 6,601 cases reported a week ago on the 20th, and triple the 4,163 cases reported two weeks ago on the 13th.

However, this has not yet led to an increase in deaths or critically ill patients. The number of critically ill patients on this day was 350, down by 35 from 385 the previous day. As of 5 p.m. the previous day, the nationwide COVID-19 severe bed occupancy rate was 18.3%. The number of deaths increased by 34, bringing the total to 6,654. The cumulative fatality rate stands at 0.86%.

Regarding the infection routes of new confirmed cases, 14,301 were reported as local transmissions. Among local transmissions, Gyeonggi had 4,738 cases, Seoul 3,385 cases, and Incheon 1,010 cases, totaling 9,133 cases (63.5%) in the metropolitan area. The number of local transmission cases outside the metropolitan area also exceeded 5,000 for the first time. These include Daegu with 764 cases, Busan 732, Gyeongnam 654, Gyeongbuk 480, Chungnam 431, Daejeon 408, Gwangju 337, Jeonbuk 308, Jeonnam 289, Chungbuk 287, Gangwon 187, Ulsan 146, Sejong 76, and Jeju 69, totaling 5,168 cases (36.5%). The number of imported cases was 217.

The domestic COVID-19 vaccination completion rate as of midnight on this day was 85.6%, with a cumulative total of 43,904,632 people vaccinated. The third dose vaccination rate reached 50.7% of the total population (cumulative 26,043,358 people).

Meanwhile, the number of suspected patient tests conducted at screening clinics the previous day was 85,721, and tests at temporary screening clinics totaled 199,860, making a total of 285,581 tests conducted. The test positivity rate as of midnight on this day was 5.2%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from 4.7% the previous day.