Nearly half of new COVID-19 cases in 2 weeks were breakthrough infections

Published : Nov 9, 2021 - 15:58 Updated : Nov 9, 2021 - 15:58

People visit a screening clinic in Seoul's Gangnam Ward on Tuesday, to receive coronavirus tests. South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 2,000 for the second straight day, but health authorities remain on alert over a possible spike in new infections under eased virus curbs. (Yonhap)

Nearly half of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea over the past two weeks were breakthrough infections, health authorities said Tuesday.

There were 8,336 breakthrough cases out of 17,325 new COVID-19 patients, or 48.1 percent, between Oct. 17 and Oct. 30, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. Breakthrough infections are those who test positive even after receiving the full-dose vaccine regimen.

The rate of breakthrough cases occurring in people aged in their 70s was the highest, with 8 out of 10 new COVID-19 patients, the KDCA said.

The rate was the lowest among those aged between 18 and 29, with only 19.7 percent of the new COVID-19 patients, it said.

Since the country's nationwide inoculation campaign began in late February, 41.63 million people, or 81.1 percent of the country's 52 million population, have received their first COVID-19 vaccine shots. The number of fully vaccinated people came to 39.49 million, or 76.9 percent. (Yonhap)