COVID-19: 5,266 New Cases, Record Highs for Two Consecutive Days

[경향신문]

Citizens wait to get tested at a temporary COVID-19 screening clinic set up at Seoul Plaza on December 1. Kang Yoon-joong

As of midnight December 2, authorities confirmed 5,266 new cases of COVID-19 from the previous day, breaking the previous record set the day before. There were also 733 patients in critical condition, the most since relevant figures were collected.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that of the 5,226 cases confirmed this day, 5,242 cases were transmitted in the local community while 24 entered the country from overseas. A regional analysis showed that 2,262 cases occurred in Seoul, 1,490 in Gyeonggi, and 354 in Incheon. Cases confirmed in the greater Seoul area accounted for 78.3% (4,106 cases) of all cases. Authorities also confirmed 157 cases in Busan, 69 in Daegu, 39 in Gwangju, 166 in Daejeon, 18 in Ulsan, 8 in Sejong, 142 in Gangwon, 49 in Chungcheongbuk-do, 149 in Chungcheongnam-do, 71 in Jeollabuk-do, 37 in Jeollanam-do, 106 in Gyeongsangbuk-do, 94 in Gyeongsangnam-do, and 31 in Jeju.

The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 reached 3,705 (fatality rate 0.81%) after 47 more deaths were confirmed. Currently there are 733 patients in critical condition receiving in-patient care, up ten from the previous day. Since the first case of the virus was confirmed in South Korea in January 2020, authorities have so far confirmed 457,612 cases in the nation.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, 79.1% of ICU beds for COVID-19 patients were occupied, and currently 241 of the 1,154 beds are available. In the greater Seoul area, 88.1% of ICU beds were occupied. As for general hospital beds for patients with moderate symptoms, 69.1% of beds were occupied and 3,524 of the 11,400 beds are available.

As of midnight this day, 42,593,798 people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, after 23,652 people received their first shots Wednesday. So far, 82.9% of the population have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The number of people who received the basic recommended doses of the vaccine increased by 65,436 bringing the total up to 41,129,620 (80.1% of the population). On Wednesday, 159,424 people received booster shots, and a total of 3,385,821 people or 6.6% of the national population have received booster shots.