COVID-19 Cases Reach 69,515 Nationwide by 9 PM... About 20,000 Fewer Than Yesterday

On the 14th, when 93,981 new COVID-19 cases were reported, citizens visiting the screening clinic set up at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul were waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] As the COVID-19 wave rebounded after the Chuseok holiday, nearly 70,000 new confirmed cases were reported nationwide by 9 p.m. on the 14th.

According to Seoul Metropolitan Government and other local governments, from midnight to 9 p.m. on that day, 69,515 people across 17 cities and provinces nationwide were confirmed positive for COVID-19.

This is 21,724 fewer than the same time on the previous day, the first day after the holiday (91,239 cases). This is attributed to a slight decrease in the number of diagnostic tests that had surged immediately after the holiday. As of 9 p.m. on that day, the number of new confirmed cases was 477 fewer than a week ago on the 7th (69,992 cases) and 10,462 fewer than two weeks ago on the 31st of last month (79,977 cases).

Although there were concerns about the spread of COVID-19 after the first holiday without social distancing, looking only at the situation immediately after the holiday, the decline in the wave has somewhat slowed, but there is no trend of a surge in confirmed cases. However, since there is still time until midnight when the tally closes, the number of new confirmed cases to be announced on the 15th is expected to increase further to the 70,000 range.

Among the interim tally of confirmed cases on that day, 33,845 cases (48.7%) were from the metropolitan area, and 35,670 cases (51.3%) were from non-metropolitan areas. By region, Gyeonggi had 18,827 cases, Seoul 11,819 cases, Gyeongbuk 4,772 cases, Gyeongnam 4,637 cases, Incheon 4,245 cases, Daegu 3,542 cases, Chungnam 3,199 cases, Jeonbuk 2,750 cases, Chungbuk 2,693 cases, Gangwon 2,638 cases, Jeonnam 2,166 cases, Gwangju 2,160 cases, Daejeon 1,940 cases, Busan 1,685 cases, Ulsan 1,334 cases, Sejong 587 cases, and Jeju 521 cases.

From the 8th to that day, the daily new confirmed cases for one week were 72,632 → 69,403 → 42,707 → 28,207 → 36,937 → 57,309 → 93,981, averaging 57,311 cases per day.

The government expects that COVID-19 confirmed cases will rebound for a while due to the first holiday without social distancing, but since the peak of the re-outbreak has already passed, the overall declining trend of the wave is expected to be maintained.