The number of cases involving the Delta COVID-19 variant in the Seoul metro area has exceeded that of the Alpha variant last week.  

Senior Health Ministry official Son Young-rae noted on Sunday that variants are being detected in about one-third of overall cases, and thus do not yet constitute a dominant presence. 

He added, however, the steady growth of Delta cases in Seoul and surrounding areas is disconcerting, as it accounted for more than double the number of Alpha cases last week. 

Assessing that the fourth wave of the pandemic is in full swing with the Seoul metro area at its center, Son said official figures regarding Delta cases will be announced next week after related data is collected.  

He was quick to add, however, that there are a sufficient number of beds for serious cases as infections among senior citizens, who have a high fatality rate, did not rise much. 

The number of serious COVID-19 cases in the nation remains at around 150, with less than eight percent of those being people aged 60 or older. The fatality rate for the nation stands at one-point-21 percent.