<Anchor>
Yesterday (18th), 1,053 new cases of Corona 19 occurred in Korea, recording 1,000 people for four consecutive days.
In particular, the nationwide spread continues, with more than 300 confirmed cases appearing in non-metropolitan areas for the first time since the first pandemic in February and March.
This is reporter Kim Hyung-rae.
<Reporter> There
were 1,053 new corona19 confirmed cases a day yesterday, exceeding 1,000 on the fourth day.
Among them, 1,029 cases occurred in Korea, excluding 24 confirmed cases from overseas.
By domestic region, 692 people were confirmed in the metropolitan area, including 382 in Seoul, 264 in Gyeonggi, and 46 in Incheon.
It is the first time since the first pandemic in Daegu and Gyeongbuk in February and March that the number of confirmed non-metropolitan areas exceeded 300.
The death toll also increased by 14, and the cumulative death toll was 659.
With the spreading trend unabated for more than a month, the hospital bed situation in the metropolitan area is reaching its limit.
As of yesterday, there are 13 beds in the metropolitan area where critically ill patients can be admitted immediately, and there are only 3 beds for patients in the immediate pre-severe stage.
There are nearly 500 confirmed patients waiting for more than a day because they were not assigned a bed in the metropolitan area until yesterday.
The quarantine authorities have said that there is no plan to raise the distance to the third stage until at least this weekend, but they are setting specific upward standards in case the situation worsens.