Critical COVID-19 cases hit two-month high of 1,007

A health worker conducts a COVID-19 test at a testing center at Seoul Station, March 7. Yonhap

Severe and critical cases of COVID-19 hit a two-month high here Monday as the highly contagious Omicron variant continues to spread rapidly across the country and fuel new outbreaks.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 202,721 new infections, including 202,647 local ones, raising the total caseload to 4,869,691.

Severe and critical cases among those hospitalized with COVID-19 increased to a two-month high of 1,007, up 52 from a day earlier. The number peaked Dec. 29 with 1,151 cases.

The country has reported more than 200,000 daily cases for five days in a row ― they surpassed 200,000 for the first time Wednesday and peaked Thursday with a record high 266,850 cases.

The Omicron variant has caused an unprecedented surge in cases in recent weeks. The overall total passed 4 million Saturday, just five days after reaching the 3 million mark. The country crossed the 1 million mark early last month, the KDCA said.

While Omicron causes less severe symptoms than the Delta variant, the sheer size of the surge has accelerated COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations.

The country added 186 more deaths, bringing the toll to 9,282 for a fatality rate of 0.19 percent.

On Monday, the KDCA raised the country's pandemic risk level to the highest for the week ending Saturday, considering the number of critical cases, bed occupancy rates in intensive care units, and rates of patients aged 60 and above.

It had maintained the Level 4 of the five-tier system for the past six weeks.

As of Saturday, the Omicron variant accounted for all locally transmitted cases confirmed in the country.

Facing a shortage of medical resources, the government has turned its focus to treating serious cases and preventing deaths, ending its rigorous contact tracing program.

It also increased the use of rapid antigen self-test kits and at-home treatment to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.

Virus-related health protocols were eased, allowing cafes and restaurants to run until 11 p.m., starting Saturday, to reduce financial pain for small businesses. But private gatherings of more than six people are still prohibited.

Of the locally transmitted cases, Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul reported 52,729, while the capital recorded 37,483, and the western port city of Incheon, 12,603. Cases from overseas rose by 74 to 29,906.

More than 1.16 million people are currently receiving treatment at home, up 194,598 from a day earlier.

As of Tuesday, 31.8 million people, or 62.1 percent of the country's 52 million population, had received booster shots. The number of fully vaccinated people came to 44.4 million, accounting for 86.5 percent, according to the KDCA. (Yonhap)