The Ministry of Education said 2,317 out of 508,030 students who applied for the college scholastic ability test (CSAT), scheduled for Thursday, had tested positive for Covid-19 and were undergoing mandatory quarantine as of midnight Tuesday.

The figure is a drastic increase from 2021 when only 96 tested positive for the virus and 128 students were under self-quarantine.

Still, Covid-19 infected candidates can take the test at a hospital or at a separate test center.

The education ministry had previously prepared 827 rooms in 110 separate test centers and 108 beds in 25 hospitals across the country. 

Education officials expect that a maximum of 12,885 quarantined students can take the test.

“The test takers who are subject to quarantine on the day of the CSAT are those who tested positive for the virus from last Friday to Tuesday,” the education ministry said. “Therefore, the number of confirmed cases may change in the future as those who tested positive for the virus on Wednesday will be added to Thursday’s tally.”

On Wednesday, Korea added 66,587 new Covid-19 infections, including 67 cases from abroad, bringing the total caseload to 26,357,464.

It is the highest Wednesday tally since Sept. 14, when there were 93,949 new infections.

The nation also reported 47 more Covid-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 29,795. The fatality rate stood at 0.11 percent. The number of critically ill patients came to 411, down one from the previous day.

According to the KDCA, about 44.69 million among 52 million Koreans have been fully vaccinated. In addition, about 33.68 million people had received their first booster shots, and 7.57 million had their second booster shots.