Daily infections over 4,000 for 2nd day; imported cases hit record high
People wearing face masks to help curb the spread of COVID-19 walk through light and shadow in Seoul, Jan. 12. AP-Yonhap
Daily COVID-19 infections stayed above 4,000 for the second consecutive day Wednesday, deepening concerns over a possible resurgence amid the continued spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 4,167 new cases, including 3,776 local ones, raising the total caseload to 679,030.
Thursday's tally is down from 4,385 the previous day, when the figure bounced back to 4,000 from the 3,000 level after about a week.
The number of imported cases hit an all-time high of 391 amid the fast spread of the Omicron variant around the world, according to the KDCA.
Forty-four more deaths were recorded, raising the toll to 6,210 for a fatality rate of 0.91 percent, according to the health authorities.
The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients stood at 701, staying below 800 for the fourth straight day, the KDCA said.
Later in the day, the first batch of U.S. drug giant Pfizer's Paxlovid antiviral COVID-19 treatment pills will arrive in South Korea, according to the KDCA.
The oral pills for 21,000 people will begin being administered Friday to patients with a compromised immune system and those aged over 65, with the second batch for 10,000 people to be shipped by the end of this month, it added.
South Korea has secured Pfizer's medication for 762,000 people, as well as oral pills made by U.S. drugmaker MSD for 242,000 people.
As of Thursday, 43.3 million people, or 84.4 percent of the country's 52 million population, have been fully vaccinated, and 22.1 million, or 43.1 percent, have received booster shots, the health authorities said.
On Wednesday, South Korea also authorized the use of U.S.-based biotechnology company Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to be used as early as next month. The authorities said this "classic" type of vaccine could encourage more unvaccinated people to consider getting a shot and further boost the country's overall vaccination rate.
Infections have shown signs of slowing in recent weeks thanks to the tightened antivirus restrictions and the active campaign for booster shots, but the health authorities have remained vigilant due to the fast spread of the Omicron variant.
Currently, 12 percent of total cases here have been found to have been caused by the Omicron variant, but the health authorities warn it is highly likely to become the dominant COVID-19 strain in South Korea as early as later this month.
The government plans to announce Friday whether it will extend the current social distancing rules, which went into effect in mid-December in the wake of a drastic surge in infections, and are set to expire Sunday.
Some have raised the possibility of the rules being relaxed, but officials say the current curbs are likely to be extended for at least two more weeks, citing concerns over an uptick around the Lunar New Year holiday later this month. (Yonhap)