711 new confirmed cases, around 700 even on holidays... Start of inoculation in the second half

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Yesterday (4th), new confirmed cases of Corona 19 recorded 711 people even though the number of tests on holidays was reduced, reaching 700 for three days in a row. Yesterday, as of Sunday, the number of confirmed cases came out the most in six months since January, when the third wave was at the end. While the warning light about the delta mutation epidemic is on, from today, vaccinations for those who are not vaccinated, including essential workers under the age of 30, have been resumed.

First news, this is reporter Kim Deok-hyun.

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Among the new confirmed cases of COVID-19, 644 cases were domestically infected, excluding 67 cases imported from abroad.

There were 527 cases, more than 80% of the domestic cases, in the metropolitan area alone, including 301 in Seoul and 210 in Gyeonggi.

As the number of tests decreased, there was no 'weekend effect' to reduce the number of confirmed cases, but as of Sunday, this is the highest number in six months since January, when the third pandemic was at its end.

Last week, the government decided to postpone the application of the new distance in the metropolitan area by a week and decide on quarantine measures the day after tomorrow. In the past week, the average number of confirmed patients in the metropolitan area is in the mid-500s per day, which is level 3 based on the new distance standard. Relief is not expected to be easy.

In particular, the number of delta-mutated infections, which are 1.6 times more contagious than the existing mutant virus, increased to 7 out of 100 new confirmed cases in the metropolitan area, making it an emergency for quarantine.

The first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the second half of the year resumed today.

307,000 people, including those aged 60 to 74 years old and socially essential workers under the age of 30, who were targeted for the first half of the year, but were unable to meet due to insufficient supplies even after making reservations, will receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Children under the age of 50 who received their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine will begin cross-vaccination with Pfizer vaccine.