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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

New COVID-19 cases over 170,000 for 2nd day amid continued Omicron surge

A medical worker uses a loud speaker to give information to people waiting for a COVID-19 test at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Feb. 23. AP-YonhapKorea's daily COVID-19 cases stayed above 170,000 for the second consecutive day Wednesday amid the continued rapid spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant nationwide.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 170,016 new infections, including 169,846 local ones, raising the total caseload to 2,499,188.The number was slightly down from the record high of 171,452 recorded Tuesday. The country added 82 more deaths, raising the toll to 7,689 for a fatality rate of 0.31 percent, according to the KDCA.The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 581, up sharply from the previous day's 512. The figure has nearly tripled in a week from around 200 cases early last week.The health authorities have said that the Omicron wave could reach a peak by early next month, with the daily caseload rocketing up to 270,000. Experts also forecast that serious cases would jump to more than 1,000 by that time.Officials sa

Feb 24, 2022
New COVID-19 cases over 170,000 for 2nd day amid continued Omicron surge
  • Gov't eyes 'return to normalcy' despite snowballing infections

Gov't eyes 'return to normalcy' despite snowballing infections

People wait in lines to receive COVID-19 tests at a screening center near Seoul Station, Wednesday. YonhapDaily new infections nearly double to 171,452By Lee Hyo-jin The government's drive toward a “return to normalcy” scheme, under which the coronavirus would be treated like an endemic disease, has drawn criticisms from medical experts who view it as “absurd and reckless” amid the skyrocketing number of infections. Despite the soaring COVID-19 cases, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Tuesday that the country may be entering the final stages of the pandemic.“If we are able manage to maintain the current low fatality rate, we could transition to treating Omicron like other endemic diseases in the end,” said Park Hyang, a senior health official during a briefing.According to the ministry, Omicron's fatality rate, which stood at 0.38, is roughly a quarter that of the Delta variant and double that of the seasonal flu. President Moon Jae-in also mentioned a possible shift to a “return to normalcy” scheme. “It is not long before t

Feb 23, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Gov't eyes 'return to normalcy' despite snowballing infections
  • New COVID-19 cases over 170,000 for 2nd day amid continued Omicron surge

Korea approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11

A woman holds a small bottle of “Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine" sticker a medical syringe in front of the Pfizer logo in this photo taken Oct. 30, 2020. Reuters-Yonhap The government has approved Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for use with children aged five to 11, the country's food and drug ministry said Wednesday.Children should get one-third of the regular dose, twice with a three week interval, the ministry said in a statement. Children with significantly declined immunity can get a booster four weeks later. (Reuters)

Feb 23, 2022
Korea approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11
  • Korea's daily COVID-19 cases nearly double to new high

Korea's daily COVID-19 cases nearly double to new high

A medical worker takes a nasal swab sample from a man at a makeshift COVID-19 testing site in Seoul, Feb. 21. AP-Yonhap South Korea's new COVID-19 infections soared sharply to hit another high of over 170,000, Tuesday, nearly doubling from a day earlier, as the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus continued to spread across the country.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 171,452 new cases, including 171,271 local ones, raising the total caseload to 2,329,182.This marked a drastic surge from the previous day's 99,573 and is far higher than the previous record of 104,814 tallied Saturday.Behind the surge lies the fast spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant ― the daily total has quadrupled compared with two weeks ago.The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 512, up 32 from a day earlier. This figure has been rising recently, climbing from around 200 cases early last week to over 400, Saturday, and over

Feb 23, 2022
Korea's daily COVID-19 cases nearly double to new high
  • Korea approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11

Why eagerly awaited COVID-19 antiviral pills are sitting on shelves

A pharmacist in Seoul shows boxes of Paxlovid, Pfizer's oral COVID-19 pills, Monday. YonhapDaily infections to peak at 270,000 in MarchBy Lee Hyo-jin Thousands of COVID-19 antiviral pills are sitting on the shelves of pharmacies amid an unexpected shortage of demand for the tablets, which were hailed initially as a game changer in the battle against the pandemic. The easy-to-use pills were much anticipated as the best treatment option for patients undergoing home treatment, preventing high-risk groups from falling into critical condition. As of Feb. 17, 8,905 patients have been prescribed Paxlovid, Pfizer's oral COVID-19 pill, although enough doses for 22,935 people have been shipped to the country since Jan. 14. This is far below the government's expectation that the pills would be used by over 1,000 people daily. Doctors say the government has been failing to use the pills effectively, due to their excessive age limit and complicated prescription process. “The low prescription rate seems to be attributable to the excessively high age limit, along with low awareness among doct

Feb 22, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Why eagerly awaited COVID-19 antiviral pills are sitting on shelves

New COVID-19 cases near 100,000 again due to continued Omicron surge

A medical worker takes a nasal swab sample from a man at a makeshift COVID-19 testing site in Seoul, Feb. 21. AP-Yonhap New COVID-19 infections rose again to just shy of 100,000 for Monday amid fears that cases could further surge due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus across the country.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 99,573 new infections, including 99,444 local ones, raising the total caseload to 2,157,734.New daily infections have risen at a fast pace in recent weeks, surpassing the 100,000 mark for the first time Thursday. They remained above the threshold for two more days before falling to 95,362 for Sunday due to fewer tests over the weekend.The health authorities have warned that the caseload could spike further to as high as 270,000 by early next month due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant.The ongoing death toll from COVID-19 came to 7,508, up 58 from Sunday for a fatality rate of 0.35 pe

Feb 22, 2022
New COVID-19 cases near 100,000 again due to continued Omicron surge
  • Latest deaths expose blind spots in COVID-19 self-treatment scheme
  • Sejong gov't complex hit by rapid COVID-19 spread

Full remote classes allowed at schools for 2 weeks amid looming virus peak: gov't

Seen is an empty classroom at Seogang University in Seoul, Monday. The education ministry announced schools will be allowed to resume full remote classes during the first two weeks of the upcoming spring semester amid the rise of the COVID-19 cases. YonhapSchools will be allowed to provide full remote classes during the first two weeks of the spring semester beginning in March, the government announced Monday, amid predictions that new daily virus cases will reach as high as 270,000 in the coming weeks.The education ministry said it designated March 2-11 as a new semester adjustment period for schools to deal with their respective virus situations, allowing establishments prone to high risk of transmissions to flexibly shorten school hours or operate fully online classes.Earlier this month, the ministry announced that schools will be recommended against shifting to full remote learning under a new four-tier operation scheme unless 3 percent of students test positive or 15 percent go into self-quarantine due to infections or close contact with patients.Monday's decision will allow sch

Feb 21, 2022
Full remote classes allowed at schools for 2 weeks amid looming virus peak: gov't

Latest deaths expose blind spots in COVID-19 self-treatment scheme

People waiting to receive a COVID-19 test stand in a long line snaking around the block outside of a screening center near Seoul Station, Monday. YonhapTotal infections surpass 2 millionBy Lee Hyo-jin The latest deaths of COVID-19 patients have exposed blind spots in the government's self-treatment scheme, prompting concerns that people undergoing home treatment may be unable to receive urgent medical attention.On Feb. 19, a 59-year-old man living alone in Gwanak District, Seoul, was found dead at his home, one day after he tested positive for the virus. His family called 119 after being unable to reach him by phone. Paramedics arrived there only to find the patient already dead.According to the Gwanak District office, at the time of his death, the man had not yet been determined a patient eligible for home treatment. Under the current quarantine measures, public health officials should contact the patient within a day of when he or she tests positive, and collect basic information to determine whether the patient should be hospitalized or is eligible for home treatment.But officials

Feb 21, 2022By Lee Hyo-jin
Latest deaths expose blind spots in COVID-19 self-treatment scheme
  • New COVID-19 infections dip below 100,000
  • New COVID-19 cases near 100,000 again due to continued Omicron surge

New COVID-19 infections dip below 100,000

A medical worker guides people as they wait for a COVID-19 test at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Feb. 20. AP-Yonhap Fewer than 100,000 daily COVID-19 infections were recorded Monday, due largely to less testing over the weekend, amid concerns about the rapid spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 95,362 new cases, including 95,218 local ones, raising the total caseload to 2,058,184.Total cases exceeded the 2 million-mark about two years after the country reported its first COVID-19 cases in January 2020.Sunday's tally is down from 104,829 recorded Saturday when the country's new caseload surpassed the 100,000-mark for the third day in a row. The number of new daily cases usually shrinks at the beginning of the week due to less testing over the weekend.The death toll from COVID-19 came to 7,450, up 45 from a day earlier for a fatality rate of 0.36 percent, the KDCA sai

Feb 21, 2022
New COVID-19 infections dip below 100,000
  • Latest deaths expose blind spots in COVID-19 self-treatment scheme

New COVID-19 infections over 100,000 for 3rd day

Medical workers guide people as they wait for a COVID-19 test outside a public health center in Seoul, Feb. 17. AP-Yonhap Daily COVID-19 infections exceeded 100,000 for the third day in a row Saturday due to the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 104,829 new cases, including 104,732 local ones, raising the total caseload to 1,962,837. The rolling death toll from COVID-19 came to 7,405, up 51 from a day earlier for a fatality rate of 0.38 percent. The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients was up 31 to 439.Of the locally transmitted cases, 31,326 were in Gyeonggi Province, surrounding the capital, 22,100 were in Seoul and 9,188 in the western port city of Incheon.South Korea has seen caseloads spike in recent weeks as the Omicron variant has raged across the country, with the daily count nearly doubling in just a week after surpassing 50,000 for the first time Feb.

Feb 20, 2022
New COVID-19 infections over 100,000 for 3rd day
  • Accuracy of rapid antigen tests called into question
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