Coronavirus: Daily critical cases hit record high
People line up for a COVID-19 test at a screening center in Seoul Station Plaza, March 30. Yonhap
Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases rose to over 420,000 Tuesday amid concerns over the continued rise in seriously ill patients and deaths with the fast spread of the highly transmissible "stealth omicron" subvariant.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 424,641 infections, including 42 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 12,774,956.
The daily count shifted to an upturn Monday after five days of a constant slide, though the health authorities have said the Omicron-driven virus wave peaked last week. The number of daily infections soared to as high as 621,197, March 17.
High infections have pushed up COVID-19 deaths and serious cases.
The country added 432 deaths Tuesday, which is the second-largest daily figure ever after 469 reported last Thursday, for a fatality rate of 0.12 percent.
The number of critically ill patients rose by 86 to an all-time high of 1,301, the KDCA said. The previous record was set Monday when the figure came to 1,273.
Serious cases rose to above 1,000 earlier this month and have been above that level since. The KDCA said the number of deaths and serious cases could grow further in the coming weeks.
The health authorities have also been leery of a possible upturn, as the even more transmissible BA.2 "stealth Omicron" subvariant became the dominant strain in the country and continued to spread fast.
The strain accounted for 56.3 percent of total infections last week.
As of Tuesday, 32.69 million people out of the total population, or 63.7 percent, had received booster shots. The number of fully vaccinated people came to 44.48 million, representing 86.7 percent, the KDCA said.
Starting Thursday, the government will begin administering COVID-19 vaccine shots to children aged between 5 and 11. Around 3.15 million are in this age group.
A growing number of local clinics are expected to provide face-to-face treatment for COVID-19 patients, as the government began accepting applications at smaller clinics for the medical service Wednesday.
The move aims to better support patients being treated at home and to move on to a fresh medical response system to handle the prolonged pandemic, the KDCA said.
Currently, the government has designated 279 clinics across the country as facilities reserved for “at-home” patients, but calls have grown for an expansion in line with the surge in total infections and the subsequent rise in patients staying at home.
Eyes are on the government's planned announcement of its decision Friday on whether to adjust current social distancing rules.
The government has relaxed some social distancing rules in efforts to regain normalcy and support small businesses hit hard by the pandemic.
Currently, the government enforces an eight-person cap on private gatherings and an 11 p.m. business curfew ― curbs that are set to expire Sunday. (Yonhap)