Weekly confirmed cases, critically ill, and deaths all increase
Reinfection rate drops from 10.10% to 9.48%
On the 25th, as the morning temperature in Seoul dropped to 5 degrees, continuing the autumn chill, office workers near Yeouido Station in Seoul are seen wearing coats on their way to work. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@
[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] The number of new COVID-19 cases has remained in the 40,000 range for two consecutive days, marking a rebound in the outbreak after 9 weeks, but the weekly risk level has stayed 'low' for 5 consecutive weeks.
The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced on the 26th that the weekly COVID-19 risk level for the third week of October (16?22) was recorded as 'low' nationwide, in the metropolitan area, and in non-metropolitan areas. The weekly risk level has maintained a low status for 5 consecutive weeks since the third week of September (18?24).
Although most related indicators such as bed occupancy rate and number of confirmed cases slightly increased, the Central Disease Control Headquarters explained that this evaluation was made considering the stable operation of intensive care unit bed occupancy rates.
However, experts view that the outbreak, which had been steadily declining after passing its peak over the past 8 weeks, has started to increase again since last week, indicating a rebound in the outbreak after 9 weeks.
According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, the weekly number of confirmed cases was 172,236, an 18.0% increase compared to the previous week (145,943), and the daily average number of confirmed cases rose from 20,849 to 24,605. The infection reproduction number (Rt) increased to 1.09, exceeding 1 for the first time in 9 weeks. An Rt above 1 indicates 'outbreak expansion.'
The daily average incidence rate of confirmed cases increased across all age groups compared to the previous week. The number of confirmed cases among the high-risk group aged 60 and over rose from 36,995 to 44,615, with the incidence proportion increasing from 25.3% to 25.9%.
The number of new critically ill patients in the third week of October was 199, a 13.7% increase from 175 the previous week. Weekly deaths numbered 166, up 2.5% from 162 the previous week. The COVID-19 intensive care unit bed occupancy rate was 18.1%, higher than the previous week's 15.8%, but still maintained at a stable level.
The proportion of suspected reinfection cases among weekly new confirmed cases showed a decline. The reinfection rate among weekly confirmed cases has gradually decreased from 10.91% in the third week of September to 10.20%, then 10.10%, and 9.48%.
As of midnight on the 16th, among the cumulative 24,405,622 confirmed cases, suspected reinfection cases numbered 560,137, accounting for 2.29% of the total cumulative cases.
Meanwhile, according to the Central Accident Response Headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, nationwide mobile phone movement recorded by Statistics Korea from the 17th to the 23rd was 288.44 million, a 1.0% increase compared to 285.48 million movements from two weeks earlier, the 3rd to the 9th. This is a 7.0% increase compared to the same period in 2019 before the COVID-19 outbreak (269.55 million movements).
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