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Daily virus cases over 1,700 as infections grow amid summer vacation season

South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases increased to more than 1,700 Friday as health authorities strive to contain the virus spread amid summer vacation season. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases increased to more than 1,700 Friday as health authorities strive to contain the virus spread amid summer vacation season. The country added 1,710 COVID-19 cases, including 1,662 local infections, raising the total caseload to 196,806, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The latest tally is up from 1,674 cases reported Thursday but is lower than a record 1,896 cases Wednesday. The country added four more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 2,089. The fatality rate was 1.06 percent.The daily caseload has remained above 1,000 since July 7 due to the resurgence in the greater Seoul area. Recently, cases outside of Seoul have been growing amid increased activities in the summer vacation season. Health authorities worry that the fourth wave may not have peaked yet, considering growing cases of the highly transmissible delta variant despite str

Jul 30, 2021
Daily virus cases over 1,700 as infections grow amid summer vacation season

Korea faces shortage of surgeons

gettyimagesbankMedical students shun surgery departments due to heavy workload, insufficient compensation By Lee Hyo-jin In television shows and movies, surgeons are often portrayed as heroes, not only for their medical knowledge and surgery skills, which save lives, but also for their sacrifice and commitment putting patients first. But the reality is different. In Korea, the surgery department has long been one of the least popular specialties among medical students due to poor working conditions and significantly lower salaries, compared to the heavy workload.Students who have graduated from medical schools here go through a one-year internship in a hospital after which they choose a department to go through three to four years training as a resident.But surgery-related departments have been failing to fill their slots for residencies for the past few years. In 2021, only 141 trainees applied to the general surgery departments at 55 hospitals across the country, leaving over 30 slots empty among the total 178. The cardio-thoracic department filled only 25 out of 60 places. In 2020

Jul 29, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea faces shortage of surgeons

Daily virus cases dip as authorities mull stronger virus curbs

People wait to get tested for COVID-19 at a testing center in Gangnam District, Seoul, July 29. YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell slightly Thursday after reaching a record high the previous day as health authorities weigh implementing more virus restrictions to slow down the spread of the delta variant and growing infections outside the greater Seoul area.The country added 1,674 COVID-19 cases, including 1,632 local infections, raising the total caseload to 195,099, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The latest tally is a fall from a record 1,896 COVID-19 cases reported Wednesday but higher than 1,365 cases Tuesday.Cases have been well above the 1,000 mark since early this month amid the country's fourth wave of the pandemic.The country added two more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 2,085. The fatality rate was 1.07 percent.Health authorities worry that the fourth wave may not have peaked yet, considering growing cases of the highly transmissible delta variant despite strict virus restrictions.To stem the spread of the vi

Jul 29, 2021
Daily virus cases dip as authorities mull stronger virus curbs

Rights watchdog recommends revision to policy for undocumented children

gettyimagesbankBy Jun Ji-hyeThe National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) asked the Ministry of Justice to improve a policy that gives temporary stay permits to undocumented children, Wednesday, saying that the current policy benefits only a small number of children due to its limitations in scope and duration. On April 19, the ministry announced the policy, under which children not registered as residents in Korea can apply for temporary residency rights, after the NHRCK asked it, in March of last year, to stop indiscriminately deporting such children and to draw up a policy to protect their basic rights. The headquarters of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea / Korea Times fileThe policy grants unregistered minors a D-4 visa, which is usually given to people studying here, or a G-1 visa, which allows a one-year stay under a broad range of conditions.The policy, which is effective until Feb. 28, 2025, limits eligibility to children who were born and have lived in Korea for more than 15 years and graduated from elementary school before Feb. 28 of this year. The mini

Jul 28, 2021By Jun Ji-hye
Rights watchdog recommends revision to policy for undocumented children

Daily virus cases hit new high

Medical workers takes nasal samples from residents for coronavirus tests at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, July 20. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases hit a new high Wednesday, health authorities said, as the highly transmissible delta variant and rising infections outside the greater Seoul area continue to hamper the virus fight. The country added 1,896 COVID-19 cases, including 1,823 local infections, raising the total caseload to 193,427, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The daily number was up 531 from the previous day. It was the largest daily caseload since the country reported its first virus case on Jan. 20, 2020, breaking the previous record of 1,842 tallied last Wednesday. The country added four more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 2,083. The fatality rate was 1.08 percent.The daily caseload has remained above 1,000 since July 7 due to the resurgence in the greater Seoul area. But recently, cases in non-Seoul regions have been growing amid increased activities in the summer vacation season.In their fight aga

Jul 28, 2021
Daily virus cases hit new high

Moderna to resume COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Korea next week: gov't

Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Moderna logo in this illustration taken, May 21. Reuters-YonhapU.S. pharmaceutical company Moderna will resume provisions of COVID-19 vaccines to South Korea next week, the prime minister said Wednesday, following a delay due to an issue linked to the company's vaccine production.Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum announced the company's vaccine supply resumption plan at an interagency COVID-19 response meeting, explaining that health officials discussed the matter with Moderna officials late Tuesday through a video conference.The government said Tuesday that Moderna provided notification late last week of an unidentified issue with the U.S. firm's vaccine production plans, with the shipments initially set to arrive late this month having been delayed to August. In December, the government signed a deal with Moderna to buy its vaccine for 20 million people, with the 40 million doses agreed to be delivered in successive batches starting in the second quarter of this year.Kim also said health authorities will announce a readjustment to the public va

Jul 28, 2021
Moderna to resume COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Korea next week: gov't

Beware of heat stroke

A teenager tries to cool himself down with water at a basketball court in Dongdaegmun District, Seoul, as the temperature rose to 35 degrees Celsius, July 22. Korea Times fileBy Yoon Ja-youngAs a heat wave is currently hitting the country, some people's lives ― even of those who are young ― are being lost due to exposure to the high temperatures. Doctors stress that heat stroke can be life-threatening.In a Facebook group where participants share information about the Republic of Korea's military, the mother of an army corporal surnamed Shim posted that her son had died due to heat stroke and blamed army officials for reckless management. According to the mother, her son joined the army last December to fulfill his compulsory military service and was placed in the 22nd Infantry Division as a medic. After being sent to a guard post (GP) on June 30, he was assigned for a reconnaissance mission near the border with North Korea.The mother said that her son had to carry military gear on his back as well as a box in front of him, which she estimates together were heavier than half of his ow

Jul 27, 2021By Yoon Ja-young
Beware of heat stroke

Vaccination plan faces uncertainties due to Moderna supply issue

People are observed for possible side effects after receiving their COVID-19 vaccines at a vaccination center in Seodaemun District, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap Inoculation of 20-40 age groups may be pushed backBy Lee Hyo-jin The government's COVID-19 vaccination plan is facing uncertainties due to supply issues involving products from Moderna, with which the country has signed a contract to receive 40 million doses, enough for 20 million people. Korea has so far received 1.15 million doses from the U.S. pharmaceutical company, with the remainder set to arrive in the latter half of the year. The government was planning to use the doses to vaccinate people in their 50s, as well as those in lower age groups, from AugustBut the health authorities have were informed by Moderna, July 23, about a production issue involving its vaccines, making changes in the supply schedule inevitable, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). “There may be some adju

Jul 27, 2021By Lee Hyo-jin
Vaccination plan faces uncertainties due to Moderna supply issue

New virus cases in 1,300s for 2nd day

A medical worker in a booth takes a nasal sample from a man during coronavirus testing at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, July 26. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 1,300s for the second straight day Tuesday as health authorities strive to stem infections outside the greater Seoul area and the spread of the delta variant with toughened distancing measures. The country added 1,365 COVID-19 cases, including 1,276 local infections, raising the total caseload to 191,531, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The daily caseload was up 47 from the previous day. The country added two more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 2,079. The fatality rate was at 1.09 percent.The daily caseload has remained above 1,000 since July 7, reaching as high as 1,842, due to the resurgence in the greater Seoul area. But recently, virus cases in non-Seoul regions have been growing fast as people travel around tourist spots across the country in the summer season.Nearly 40 percent of all newly reported cases came from non-capital regions.

Jul 27, 2021
New virus cases in 1,300s for 2nd day
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