New COVID-19 cases spike to second-largest figure amid Omicron fears
A medical worker takes a sample from a woman for a COVID-19 test at a makeshift testing center near Seoul Station, Jan. 21. Yonhap
Daily COVID-19 cases spiked Saturday to the second-largest figure since the pandemic outbreak, putting the health authorities on alert amid the fast spread of the Omicron variant.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 7,630 new infections, including 7,343 local ones, raising the total caseload to 733,902.
Saturday's figure marks the second-largest since the daily record high of 7,848, Dec. 15.
Daily totals have surged at a fast pace this week from the 4,000 level to over 6,000 Thursday and above 7,000, Saturday.
Eleven more deaths were reported, raising death toll to 6,540 for a fatality rate of 0.89 percent.
The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients stood at 431, the KDCA said.
The health authorities have warned of a resurgence in the number of infections as the highly transmissible Omicron variant could become the dominant COVID-19 variant in South Korea.
As the daily total has exceeded 7,000, the authorities are expected to shift to a new medical response system ― as planned ― in order to handle the pandemic in a flexible manner.
Under the new system, rapid antigen tests will be introduced at COVID-19 testing centers to produce faster results, while polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests will be reserved for high-risk groups.
The detection rate for the Omicron variant reached 47.1 percent last week, and it is likely to account for more than half of all infections this week, the KDCA said earlier.
Amid deepening Omicron fears, the government has implemented toughened antivirus curbs, including a 9 p.m. curfew on restaurants and cafes, which have been in place since mid-December and will remain effective until Feb. 6.
Currently, the limit on the size of private gatherings is set at six, and the vaccine pass program is required at several kinds of multiuse facilities, including cafes, restaurants and sports arenas.
Last week, the government also began implementing extra antivirus steps ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. This year's Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 1, and the holiday lasts until Feb. 2.
The public health agency has banned face-to-face meetings at nursing facilities during the two-week special quarantine period that began last Thursday, though it allows non-contact meetings with prior reservations.
Dining in at highway service areas will be banned, the KDCA said, adding that nine temporary COVID-19 testing stations will be set up at highway rest areas, and bus and train stations across the country.
As of Sunday, 43.8 million people, or 85.4 percent of the country's 52 million population, have been fully vaccinated, and 25.23 million, or 49.2 percent, have received booster shots, the health authorities said. (Yonhap)