New COVID-19 Cases 55,292... Highest Monday Count in 17 Weeks (Update)

324 Critical Patients, Highest in 83 Days... 29 Deaths Reported

On the 7th, citizens are waiting for testing at the COVID-19 screening clinic at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] The number of new COVID-19 cases recorded on Monday reached the highest in about four months. The number of critically ill patients also hit the highest level in three months.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 8th, as of midnight, 55,292 new COVID-19 cases were reported, bringing the total cumulative cases to 20,544,420.

Due to a decrease in diagnostic tests over the weekend, the number of new cases dropped to about half of the previous day’s figure (105,507), but it is 1.24 times higher than a week ago on the 1st (44,659) and 1.54 times higher than two weeks ago on the 25th of last month (35,858). This is the highest number of new cases recorded on a Monday in 17 weeks since April 11 (90,912).

The number of critically ill patients, which had fallen to the 200s over the weekend, rose again to the 300s. As of this report, the number of critically ill patients increased by 27 from the previous day to 324, the highest since May 17 (333).

The nationwide critical care bed occupancy rate reached 40.3%, surpassing 40% for the first time since April 21 this year. The occupancy rate in the metropolitan area is 40.3%, and 40.2% in non-metropolitan areas.

The number of new deaths was reported as 29. By age group, 19 were aged 80 or older, 6 in their 70s, 2 in their 60s, and 1 each in their 40s and 50s. The cumulative death toll stands at 25,292, with a fatality rate of 0.12%.

With an additional 64,669 patients under home treatment reported the previous day, the total number of COVID-19 patients currently receiving home treatment is 592,669. Among them, 153 are in the intensive management group receiving health monitoring from medical institutions. Since the intensive management group classification system was abolished on the 1st, only those confirmed positive by the 31st of last month are subject to the intensive management system.