S. KOREA REPORTS 2,155 NEW CASES

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South Korea has reported 2,155 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. It’s the second highest tally since the start of the pandemic and marks the 50th day of a four digit daily caseload. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum called for thorough quarantine saying the delta variant is completely different from what we’ve seen before.

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The country has confirmed 2,155 new infections. The Central Disease Control Headquarters said the number breaks down to 2,114 local transmissions and 41 from overseas. It’s the second highest figure to date, and the 50th straight day the tally stayed above 1,000. By region, in the capital area, 673 cases were reported in Seoul, 579 in Gyeonggido Province and 117 in Incheon. In non-capital areas, Gyeongsangnamdo Province added 102 cases, Daegu 99 and Busan 86. On the vaccine front, some 26.7 million people or around 52% of the population have received at least the first shot while more than 12.8 million or some 25% have been fully vaccinated. The number of critically ill patients has hit a record high of 434. The government will secure 250 more hospital beds by the weekend including 90 ICU beds. In the past 2 weeks, the infection route has not been determined for more than 32% of all cases. It’s another all time high figure since last April when the country began keeping relevant records. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said the latest outbreak fueled by the delta variant is different from the previous crises. He emphasized health authorities and local governments must stay alert and keep up with airtight and swift antivirus measures. Noting that small business owners and the self-employed are suffering from tough distancing curbs, the PM promised to pay out relief funds earmarked by an extra budget as soon as possible.