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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.

Number of critically ill COVID-19 patients hits record high

A medical worker wearing personal protective equipment checks a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient inside the intensive care unit of the Bagae Hospital in Pyeongtaek, Dec. 1. EPA-YonhapSouth Korea's daily coronavirus cases fell below 5,000 on Friday, but the number of critically ill patients hit yet another record high as the country prepares to limit private gatherings amid growing concerns over the new omicron variant.The country reported 4,944 new COVID-19 cases, including 4,923 local infections, raising the total caseload to 462,555, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The number of critically ill patients came to 736, up from the previous record high of 733 on Thursday.Friday's tally is down from 5,266 counted the previous day, which marked an all-time high since the country reported the first COVID-19 case in January last year. The daily cases had stayed above 5,000 for two consecutive days.The death toll came to 3,739, up by 34 from a day earlier. The fatality rate stood at 0.81 percent.The emergence of the potentially more transmissible va

Dec 3, 2021
Number of critically ill COVID-19 patients hits record high
  • Gov't to limit private gatherings to 6 in capital area, 8 elsewhere

Gov't to limit private gatherings to 6 in capital area, 8 elsewhere

A man wearing protective gear sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus at a temporary screening clinic for the coronavirus in Seoul, Dec. 1. AP-YonhapSouth Korea will limit private gatherings to six people in the capital area and eight in other regions for four weeks starting next week, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday, reversing an easing of distancing rules adopted under the "living with COVID-19" scheme last month.Kim announced the new measure during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters amid a surge in COVID-19 infections in the country and heightened fears of the more contagious omicron variant.Currently the cap is 10 people in the capital area and 12 in other regions.Kim also said most public facilities, including restaurants and cafes, will be added to the list of businesses requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test for entry.The government will allow a one-week grace period before enforcing the so-called vaccine pass system at the additional facilities.The list currently comprises karaoke establishments, pu

Dec 3, 2021
Gov't to limit private gatherings to 6 in capital area, 8 elsewhere
  • Community infections of Omicron variant looming large
  • Number of critically ill COVID-19 patients hits record high
  • Travelers upset by 'sudden' announcement about 10-day mandatory quarantine

Korea unlikely to drastically tighten virus curbs despite surging infections: official

A quarantine staff speaks to a visitor at the Michooholl Health Center in Incheon, Thursday.  YonhapKorea is unlikely to reimpose tighter social distancing rules despite surging COVID-19 infections, as the government is set to announce new measures to help tame the latest wave of infections, a senior presidential official said Thursday. The new measures will be announced Friday as the nation is battling to contain virus infections, with daily cases standing at a record high of more than 5,200 earlier in the day. "Rather than a drastic tightening of distancing rules, (the government) will announce measures on how to fine-tune (current measures)," Park Soo-hyun, senior presidential secretary for communication, told a KBS YouTube channel. Park's remarks were somewhat in contrast to his own remarks Wednesday, when he told another YouTube channel the government could make "big adjustments" to its containment measures if the omicron variant spreads. If the government reimposes stricter distancing rules and limits private gatherings, it will have a negative impact on businesses of self

Dec 2, 2021
Korea unlikely to drastically tighten virus curbs despite surging infections: official
  • Community infections of Omicron variant looming large

Community infections of Omicron variant looming large

Medical workers enter a hospital in Incheon, Thursday, where a married couple were hospitalized the previous day after testing positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the first cases in the country. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiThe health authorities have gone into full alert after confirming cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is feared to be more transmissible than the prevalent Delta variant. As some of the confirmed patients are said to have gone about their daily lives and met others for days before they tested positive, speculation is that the new variant may have already spread in their local communities.On Wednesday, Korea confirmed its first Omicron infections ― a married couple returning to Incheon after visiting Nigeria, their Uzbek friend who gave them a ride home from the airport and separate cases of two women in their 50s in Gyeonggi Province, who also returned recently from Nigeria. The couple's son, who had already tested positive for COVID-19, was also confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant. The Uzbek friend's wife and mother-in-law and another a

Dec 2, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Community infections of Omicron variant looming large
  • VIDEO First confirmed case of Omicron variant detected in Korea
  • Korea unlikely to drastically tighten virus curbs despite surging infections: official
  • Previous infection may not stop Omicron: South Africa
  • Gov't to limit private gatherings to 6 in capital area, 8 elsewhere

Seoul reports record high of 2,268 daily COVID-19 cases

A man wearing a face mask walks in front of Christmas decorations in Seoul, Dec. 1. AP-YonhapThe number of Seoul's daily COVID-19 cases has hit a record high of 2,268, surpassing 2,000 for two straight days, health authorities said Thursday.Of the cases reported Wednesday, 2,262 were local infections, and six were from overseas, according to the Central Disease Control Headquarters. The new high was up 46 from the previous high of 2,222 recorded Tuesday and up 508 from 1,760 tallied a week ago.The number of new daily coronavirus cases in Seoul topped 1,000 for the first time on Sept. 24, when 1,221 new patients were confirmed. After staying below the mark for some time, the number again soared to 1,004 on Nov. 2.Since then, the capital's daily records have been broken six times ― 1,436 on Nov. 16; 1,734 on Nov. 23; 1,760 on Nov. 24; 1,888 on Nov. 26; 2,222 on Tuesday and 2,268 on Wednesday.The city's total caseload had risen to 158,774, and its total number of COVID-19 deaths had increased by 23 to 1,136, as of Wednesday midnight. (Yonhap)

Dec 2, 2021
Seoul reports record high of 2,268 daily COVID-19 cases
  • Coronavirus: New infections, critical cases hit record highs

Coronavirus: New infections, critical cases hit record highs

People queue in line to wait for a coronavirus test at a temporary screening clinic for the coronavirus in Seoul, Dec. 1. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's new coronavirus cases and the number of critically ill patients hit record highs Thursday, heightening concerns over medical capacity amid the spread of COVID-19 and continued surge in critical cases.South Korea reported 5,266 new COVID-19 cases, including 5,242 local infections, raising the total caseload to 457,612, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It marked the second straight day that the number of new coronavirus cases has been above 5,000.The country added 47 more deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday, raising the death toll to 3,705. The fatality rate stood at 0.81 percent.The number of critically ill patients reached an all-time high of 733 on Thursday. On Wednesday, the number of new cases and serious cases breached the 5,000 mark and the 700 mark, respectively, for the first time since the country reported the first outbreak of COVID-19 early last year.The emergence of the Omicron variant has put a da

Dec 2, 2021
Coronavirus: New infections, critical cases hit record highs
  • Korea identifies 1st Omicron cases
  • Seoul reports record high of 2,268 daily COVID-19 cases

Korea confirms 1st cases of Omicron variant infection

A passenger from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, arrives at Incheon International Airport, Wednesday. YonhapSouth Korea confirmed its first cases of Omicron variant infection on Wednesday, adding to concerns the new virus strain could exacerbate the pandemic as the country grapples with a spike in the caseload and number of critically ill patients.A married couple in their 40s, living in Incheon, west of Seoul, and their friend have tested positive for the Omicron variant in genetic sequencing tests, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.Health officials conducted the tests on four people, including the couple's son, after detecting their COVID-19 infections as possible Omicron variant cases.The result of the teenage son is expected to be announced Thursday.Tests were carried out on three others suspected of being infected with the Omicron variant and their test results will be made known around Saturday, according to the KDCA. The couple, who are fully vaccinated, visited Nigeria on Nov. 14 to 23 and tested positive for COVID-19 last Thursday. Their frien

Dec 1, 2021
Korea confirms 1st cases of Omicron variant infection

Korea identifies 1st Omicron cases

Foreign visitors in protective gear are seen in the arrival area of Incheon International Airport, Wednesday, when the nation's first Omicron variant case was confirmed. YonhapCOVID-19 situation getting out of control; daily virus cases top 5,000By Bahk Eun-jiFive cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 were reported in Korea, Wednesday, the first infections here by the variant which is believed to be more transmissible than the Delta variant and potentially resistant to current vaccines. The government said it would conduct genome sequencing on all people who test positive for COVID-19 after coming here from abroad to check for the Omicron variant, adding that all arrivals ― both foreign and Korean nationals ― will be quarantined for 10 days regardless of their vaccination history, starting Friday.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said it had confirmed the five variant cases in a single day. A married couple who arrived from Nigeria, Nov. 24, and tested positive for COVID-19 the next day, was confirmed to have the new variant following genome sequencing.Besides

Dec 1, 2021By Bahk Eun-ji
Korea identifies 1st Omicron cases
  • Coronavirus: New infections, critical cases hit record highs

Hospital staffers save patient with direct transfusion

Na-Eun Hospital nurse Joung Hae-jun, left, and staff member Jung Da-eun / Courtesy of Na-Eun HospitalBy Nam Hyun-wooA nurse and a staff member at an Incheon-based hospital directly transfused their own blood to save a patient requiring emergency surgery. According to Na-Eun Hospital, Joung Hae-jun, a nurse at the hospital's urology department, and Jeong Da-eun, a staff member in the psychiatry department, both directly transfused their own blood to a patient who was undergoing laparoscopic surgery on Nov. 24.According to the hospital, the patient was suspected of having renal cancer, in the left kidney, and required emergency surgery to remove it. However, the hospital was unable to proceed with the surgery due to a shortage of blood, following the decline in blood donations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. To help the patient, Joung and Jeong volunteered to directly transfuse 2 pints (0.95 liters) of their blood for the patient, and the patient is now in recovery after successfully receiving the surgery. “If my father hadn't been able to undergo the surgery at the time, his health

Dec 1, 2021By Nam Hyun-woo
Hospital staffers save patient with direct transfusion

Seoul's new daily COVID-19 cases exceed 2,000 for 1st time

Medical workers in booths take nasal samples from people at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Nov. 30. AP-YonhapThe number of new daily COVID-19 cases in Seoul surpassed 2,000 for the first time, officials said Wednesday.The capital logged an all-time daily high of 2,222 COVID-19 patients Tuesday, according to the Central Disease Control Headquarters. Only 10 of the city's total were from overseas.The latest daily tally broke Seoul's previous daily record of 1,888 set only four days ago. It also marked an increase of 1,036 from 1,186 the previous day and an increase of 488 from 1,734 a week earlier.The number of new daily coronavirus cases in Seoul topped 1,000 for the first time on Sept. 24, when 1,221 new patients were confirmed. After a period of lull, it again soared to 1,004 on Nov. 2.Since then, the capital's daily records have been broken five times ― 1,436 on Nov. 16; 1,734 on Nov. 23; 1,760 on Nov. 24; 1,888 on Nov. 26 and 2,222 on Tuesday.The city's total caseload has now risen to 156,507, and its total number of COVID-19 deaths also increased by 13 to 1,113.Nationwide, th

Dec 1, 2021
Seoul's new daily COVID-19 cases exceed 2,000 for 1st time
  • Korea's daily COVID-19 cases hit record high; critical cases also at all-time high
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