On the morning of March 17, citizens wait to get PCR tests and rapid antigen tests at a COVID-19 screening clinic at the Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Yonhap News

The Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight March 17, they have confirmed 621,328 new cases of COVID-19 from the previous day. The number of daily cases jumped by over 220,000 in just a day pushing the total over 600,000 for the first time. Authorities also confirmed 429 more deaths, also a record high, which far surpassed the previous record of 293 set on midnight March 15. Currently, 1,159 patients are in critical condition.

Among the newly confirmed cases, 621,266 were from local transmission, while 62 entered the country from overseas. A regional analysis showed 128,375 cases in Seoul, 42,434 in Busan, 24,468 in Daegu, 32,964 in Incheon. 16,948 in Gwangju, 12,481 in Daejeon, 14,768 in Ulsan, 5,234 in Sejong, 181,983 in Gyeonggi-do, 15,449 in Gangwon-do, 17,774 in Chungcheongbuk-do, 22,987 in Chungcheongnam-do, 18,607 in Jeollabuk-do, 18,957 in Jeollanam-do, 19,157 in Gyeongsangbuk-do, 44,536 in Gyeongsangnam-do, and 4,144 in Jeju-do.

On Wednesday, 429 people died of COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths from covid up to 11,481 (fatality rate 0.14%). This day, 1,159 covid patients receiving in-patient treatment were in critical condition, down 85 from the previous day. Since authorities confirmed the first case of covid in South Korea in January 2020, they have confirmed a total of 8,250,592 cases.

Currently, 65.6% of ICU beds reserved for covid patients in critical condition were occupied, and 963 of the 2,801 beds were available. General beds for the treatment of patients with moderate symptoms was 48.1% occupied, and 12,890 of the 24,814 beds were available. Authorities confirmed that 1,925,759 patients were receiving home treatment.

As of midnight this day, 44,917,475 people (87.5% of the national population) have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine after 2,209 people received their first shots on Wednesday. That same day, 2,424 people received the second vaccine dose, bringing the total number of people who have received the two basic doses of the vaccine to 44,446,716 (86.6% of the population). So far, 32,217,533 people have received a third vaccine dose, after 31,404 people received booster shots on Wednesday. This means 62.8% of the national population (88.8% of people ages 60 and older) have received a third vaccine dose.