(2nd LD) S. Korea reports more than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases

All News 21:53 August 01, 2022

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; ADDS details in paras 1-4)

SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases late Monday amid a resurgence fueled by a highly contagious omicron subvariant.

As of 9 p.m., local governments had reported 106,367 additional cases, 2.48 times the number from the same time Sunday.

Daily cases are counted until midnight and announced the following morning.

It is the first time that a 9 p.m. tally has exceeded 100,000 since April 19.

Earlier Monday, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced 44,689 new COVID-19 infections were confirmed Sunday, including 436 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 19,820,739.

The figure sharply fell from the previous day's 73,589 due mainly to fewer tests but was larger than the 35,860 cases logged a week earlier, as the country has seen a resurgence of the virus, triggered by the spread of the omicron subvariant BA.5. It is also the highest figure for a Monday after the 47,726 logged on April 18.

A man gets tested for the coronavirus at a testing center in the southeastern ward of Songpa, Seoul, on Aug. 1, 2022. (Yonhap)

The growth in new infections led to a surge in the number of seriously ill patients.

The country reported 287 critical cases early Monday, the highest figure after May 18, when the tally stood at 313.

The KDCA reported 21 deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 25,068. The fatality rate stood at 0.13 percent.

The KDCA said death rates were higher among those who were unvaccinated or vaccinated only once. Of the 172 deaths reported between July 24-30, 61 people, or 36.5 percent, fell in the two categories.

The number of infections from overseas has stayed in the triple digits since June 24 amid eased COVID-19 entry rules and a rise in summer travelers.

The KDCA said the current wave could peak at around 200,000 infection cases a day, a level that is lower than previously expected and deemed manageable.

The government has said it was not considering reimposing stringent social distancing rules to fight the resurgent virus in a firm resolve to continue to move on from the pandemic and resume normal activities.