New COVID cases top 20,000 for 1st time amid raging spread of Omicron
A medical worker runs to guide people as they wait for their COVID-19 tests at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Feb. 2. Korea's daily virus cases exceeded 20,000, Wednesday, for the first time since the country reported its first infection two years ago, due to the fast spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Yonhap
Daily COVID-19 cases exceeded 20,000, Tuesday, for the first time since the country reported its first infection two years ago, due to the fast spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The death toll came to 6,787, up 15 from Monday, for a fatality rate of 0.77 percent; while the number of critically ill patients was 278, up six.
A revised virus response system went into effect Saturday to tackle the surging Omicron variant, which has become the dominant COVID-19 strain in the country.
Eighty percent of the country's confirmed cases during the last week were from Omicron. The health authorities have been on high alert over a sharp rise in cases due to increased gatherings of family members during the Lunar New Year holiday that ran until Wednesday.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) hasn't ruled out the possibility of a bigger wave of coronavirus infections by the end of this month, with daily cases reaching more than 100,000, due to the rapid spread of Omicron.
The number of infected people under treatment at their homes may rise to 100,000 from the current 83,000, the KDCA said.
Some 250 testing stations set up at public health centers and large hospitals will adopt both rapid antigen self-tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. People can choose which one they want to take, the KDCA said, although those aged over 60 or in high-risk groups, such as having underlying illnesses, will be prioritized for PCR tests.
Beginning Thursday, local hospitals and clinics will also administer self-test kits.
The revised regime is designed to minimize critical cases and deaths, while preventing an overload and collapse of the medical system, the KDCA.
The system will expand nationwide after the holiday during which many people traveled for family gatherings and ritual events.
Of the locally transmitted cases Wednesday, Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul reported 6,018, followed by the capital with 4,186 and the western port city of Incheon with 1,396. Cases from overseas rose 159 to 25,516.
As of Wednesday, 27.25 million people, or 53 percent of the country's 52 million population, had received booster shots. The number of fully vaccinated people came to 43.99 million people, accounting for 86 percent. (Yonhap)