COVID-19 New Cases 19,298, Back to 10,000 Range... 229 Critical Cases, 54 Deaths (Update)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] The number of new COVID-19 cases, which had been in the 20,000 range for three consecutive days, has dropped back to the 10,000 range after six days. The number of critically ill patients has also remained in the 200 range for four consecutive days, indicating that the spread is slowing down.

On the 22nd, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight, the number of new COVID-19 cases was 19,298, which is 4,164 fewer than the previous day (23,462). After three consecutive days of new cases in the 20,000 range, the number has fallen back to the 10,000 range. The cumulative number of confirmed cases reached 17,957,697.

The daily number of COVID-19 cases recorded 13,290 on the 16th, marking the first time in 104 days since February 1 (18,333 cases) before the Omicron variant outbreak began in earnest. After jumping to the 30,000 range on the 17th and 18th, the number stayed in the 20,000 range for three consecutive days from the 19th to the previous day. Over the past week from the 16th, the daily new cases were 13,290 → 35,104 → 31,342 → 28,124 → 25,125 → 23,462 → 19,298, averaging 25,106 cases per day.

Among the new cases reported on this day, 24 were imported from overseas, while the remaining 19,274 were locally transmitted cases. By region (including imported cases), the numbers are: Gyeonggi 4,266, Seoul 2,903, Gyeongbuk 1,510, Gyeongnam 1,272, Daegu 1,194, Busan 869, Jeonbuk 861, Chungnam 854, Jeonnam 840, Gangwon 828, Incheon 799, Daejeon 695, Chungbuk 671, Ulsan 651, Gwangju 618, Jeju 280, Sejong 184, and quarantine 3.

The number of critically ill patients was 229, down by 6 from the previous day (235), remaining in the 200 range for four consecutive days. The number of COVID-19 deaths reported the previous day was 54, which is 28 more than the day before (26). The number of deaths has been in double digits since the 30th of last month (70).

By age group, 30 deaths (55.5%) were among those aged 80 and above, and 13 deaths (24.1%) were in their 70s. The cumulative number of deaths is 23,965, and the cumulative COVID-19 fatality rate stands at 0.13%.