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Home treatment feared to increase virus spread

A monitor at the disaster control center in Songpa District Office, Seoul, shows an all-time high of 7,175 new daily COVID-19 infections for Tuesday. YonhapExperts say daily infections could reach 10,000 in a few weeksBy Bahk Eun-jiThe government's COVID-19 quarantine measure of home treatment for non-critical patients is feared to have increased infections among family members as well as the number of serious cases, health experts said Wednesday. This concern was raised as the country's daily new number of coronavirus cases soared to a record high of 7,175 for Tuesday, a sharp rise of 2,221 from the previous day, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Health experts are now saying the number of daily infections could reach 10,000 in a few weeks.The number of critically ill patients also hit an all-time high of 840.Along with the high numbers, the government's policy of expanding home treatment for COVID-19 patients ― a measure to counter a shortage of hospital beds ― has fueled concerns because a patient's family members have to stay at home under self-

Dec 8, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Home treatment feared to increase virus spread

Civic groups file petition with rights commission against teen vaccine pass

A vaccine pass notice is placed on the entrance of a public library in Gwangju, Dec. 7. YonhapCivic groups opposing the government's plan to expand the COVID-19 vaccine pass program to adolescents filed a petition with the state human rights commission on Wednesday, arguing that the scheme would violate the learning rights of students.The decision to require teens aged 12 to 18 to present vaccine certificates at multiuse facilities, most notably public study rooms and cram schools, starting February has been met with wide opposition among parents, arguing the measure amounts to forcing vaccination upon minors. The plan was announced last week along with toughened gathering restrictions amid the latest virus resurgence and a pileup of student infections.Three Seoul-based civic groups, including a parents organization, announced they filed the joint petition with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea against the move, saying that the vaccine pass program for teens would essentially "violate students' freedom to choose whether to be vaccinated or not."The groups asked the commis

Dec 8, 2021
Civic groups file petition with rights commission against teen vaccine pass

New cases, critical patients set new records as infections soar

People wait in line to get tested for the coronavirus at Seoul Plaza in Seoul, Dec. 7. YonhapSouth Korea's new coronavirus cases hit an all-time high on Wednesday as infections continued to surge around the country amid waning immunity and colder weather.The country confirmed 7,175 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total caseload to 489,484, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily tally was up by 2,221 from a day earlier, the biggest daily jump since the pandemic began early last year. The previous record of 5,352 was set on Saturday. The average daily infection cases were 5,012 for the seven days ending Tuesday.The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients also jumped to a record high of 840, up 66 from a day ago, putting further strain on the country's already overwhelmed health care system.The death toll rose 63 to 4,020, the third-highest daily figure after an all-time high of 70 on Saturday and 64 on Tuesday."In the capital area, where 80 percent of total cases are reported, we continue to add hospital beds with active cooperation from

Dec 8, 2021
New cases, critical patients set new records as infections soar

Korea's daily COVID-19 cases surpass 7,000 for 1st time: PM

Health workers clad in protective suits conduct virus tests on students at an elementary school in the southwestern city of Gwangju, Dec. 7. YonhapSouth Korea's daily COVID-19 cases have surpassed 7,000 for the first time, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Wednesday, amid concerns over the Omicron variant and the rising number of critical virus patients. "In the capital area, where 80 percent of total cases are reported, we continue to add hospital beds with active cooperation from the medical community, but still it is tough to catch up with the pace of rising virus cases," Kim said at the government's COVID-19 response meeting. The country's average daily number of coronavirus cases stayed in the 5,000s over the past week. Kim said the government will enhance the at-home treatment system to secure sustainability of the country's medical response capability, which includes measures to expand workforce and improve patient management. He added that oral COVID-19 medication will be provided to serious home-treatment patients from the beginning of 2022. Mandatory quarantine period for f

Dec 8, 2021
Korea's daily COVID-19 cases surpass 7,000 for 1st time: PM

Omicron variant feared to be spreading nationwide

A notice attached at a library on Hankuk University of Foreign Studies campus in Seoul, Tuesday, reads that it will operate in a limit manner after it was confirmed a student infected with the Omicron variant visited the facility. Yonhap3 foreign students in Seoul confirmed to be infected with OmicronBy Lee Hyo-jin The health authorities here are moving to a higher state of alert as it is suspected the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 has begun spreading across the country, including Seoul, following the first cases being reported here Dec. 1. Three foreign college students, studying at Seoul National University (SNU), Kyung Hee University and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), respectively, have tested positive for the variant, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Tuesday.These are the first cases of the Omicron variant confirmed in the capital, following multiple cases detected in Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, and Jincheon in North Chungcheong Province.The KDCA said the three students attended a religious event held at a churc

Dec 7, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Omicron variant feared to be spreading nationwide

Seoul reports first Omicron cases in 3 foreign students

A student enters the library of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, Dec. 7, after the university restricted its operations after one of its foreign students was confirmed to be infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant. YonhapThree foreign students attending universities in Seoul have been confirmed to be infected with Omicron, officials said Tuesday, signaling the highly contagious COVID-19 variant's penetration into the capital.One foreign student each from Seoul National University (SNU), Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and Kyunghee University has been confirmed to have contracted the Omicron variant, according to the Seoul city government.All of the three were found to have visited a church in Incheon, west of Seoul, where a pastor and his wife were confirmed last week as the first cases of Omicron in South Korea. The students tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday and their infections with Omicron have been finally confirmed through a whole genome analysis, the government said.This is the first time that Omicron cases have been confirmed in Seoul. Natio

Dec 7, 2021
Seoul reports first Omicron cases in 3 foreign students

New COVID-19 cases jump among Seoul children and teenagers

A man wearing protective gear sprays disinfectant around a Christmas tree as a precaution against the coronavirus in Seoul, Dec. 6. AP-YonhapA total of 1,450 students from kindergarten to high school tested positive for COVID-19 in Seoul last week, up 360 from 1,090 a week earlier, after the full resumption of in-person classes, the city's education office said Tuesday. The increase came in the second week since all kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools returned to full-fledged in-person classes on Nov. 22 in line with the country's "living with COVID-19" scheme aimed at gradually bringing the country back to pre-pandemic normalcy.Separately, 104 school officials also tested positive last week, the office said. Of the total cases involving students and officials, 559, or 36 percent, were household transmissions, while 497, or 32 percent, were cases with unidentified infection routes. Transmissions in schools also accounted for 388 cases, or 25 percent, up from the previous week's 19.1 percent.By age group, elementary school students took up the biggest share of infect

Dec 7, 2021
New COVID-19 cases jump among Seoul children and teenagers

Coronavirus: Number of critically ill patients at record high

A medical worker wearing personal protective equipment checks a COVID-19 patient inside the intensive care unit of the Bagae Hospital in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Dec. 1. EPA-YonhapSouth Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 5,000 for the second straight day Tuesday, but the number of critically ill patients hit a fresh high as concerns about a surge fueled by the omicron variant continued to put heath officials on edge.The country added 4,954 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total caseload to 482,310, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients hit a record high of 774, up 47 from a day ago, stoking fears that overworked medical staffers are further stretched thin and some patients might not get enough and timely medical attention. The death toll rose 64 to 3,957, the second-highest daily figure after 70 recorded on Saturday.Daily infections soared to a record high of 5,352 cases on Saturday before falling to 5,127 on Sunday and 4,325 on Monday.The government reimposed stricter virus-related restri

Dec 7, 2021
Coronavirus: Number of critically ill patients at record high

Parents cry foul over 'forced' vaccination

A sign at a public library in Seoul notifies people that vaccine pass is required to use the facility starting Monday. Yonhap Omicron variant feared to spread nationwide By Bahk Eun-jiAnxious parents are protesting the government's de facto “forcible” measure to get children aged between 12 and 17 vaccinated against COVID-19 through its extended vaccine pass program, which included cram schools, or “hagwon,” and libraries in the list of public places subject to the program. They claim the measure infringes on children's right to learn, noting the policy lacks consistency as the government previously said the inoculation of children was a decision for parents to make. They added that it was unreasonable to include studying facilities while leaving out religious facilities and shopping malls where mass infections frequently occur.The protest follows the government's new antivirus measures announced Friday that expands the vaccine pass system, which is now applied to p

Dec 6, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Parents cry foul over 'forced' vaccination
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