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| People stand in line waiting to receive a COVID-19 test at a screening center in Jung District, Seoul, Tuesday. Newsis |
Daily infections hit fresh high of 57,117
By Lee Hyo-jin
The number of severely ill COVID-19 patients and deaths is feared to rise beginning this week, following the soaring number of infections spurred by the Omicron variant sweeping across the nation.
The coronavirus is showing no signs of abating here, with 57,117 new cases of infection added for Monday, yet another all-time high, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Despite record-high numbers of infections fueled by Omicron, the country has been seeing relatively less critical cases and deaths so far, as the variant appeared to be less lethal than its predecessors.
But a recent surge in infections among people aged 60 and over, who are at a higher risk of falling seriously ill, has prompted concerns that the rapidly increasing number of cases could lead to a spike in critical cases.
According to the KDCA, in the fourth week of January, the number of patients aged 60 and above stood at 6,655. The figure increased to 14,527 in the first week of February, which then more than doubled the next week to reach over 37,600.
A total of 187 COVID-19 deaths were reported last week, among which, 173 cases ― or 92.5 percent ― had occurred among patients aged 60 and over.
The total current number of critical cases for Monday stood at 314, and the health ministry predicts that this number will rise.
"Given that the number of critically ill patients and deaths tend to rise two or three weeks after a spike in infections, deaths and hospitalizations may begin to jump starting this week," said health ministry spokesman Son Young-rae during a briefing on Monday.
But he added that the current situation is under control, as the medical capacity can handle up to 1,500 severely ill patients. Currently, about 20 percent of the ICU beds reserved for COVID-19 patients are occupied nationwide.
The surge in critical cases may hamper the government's plan to ease social distancing measures after the current ones end on Feb. 20.
The public health authorities have been planning to relax the antivirus measures gradually, in response to some complaints that the measures have become less necessary in the country's Omicron response plan, which largely depends on individual responsibility to prevent infections.
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| Medical workers warm their hands with instant hot packs at an outdoor COVID-19 testing station in Jung District, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap |
4th vaccine shot rolls out for immunocompromised, elderly
In a bid to prevent members of the most vulnerable groups from falling into critical condition, the government began to offer a fourth shot of the COVID-19 vaccine to immunocompromised people from Monday.
Residents and workers at nursing homes, who are also eligible for the fourth dose, will be inoculated from March.
Eligible recipients will be administered with an mRNA vaccine ― Moderna or Pfizer ― if four months have passed since their third vaccination.
The KDCA estimates that around 1.8 million individuals ― including 1.3 million immunocompromised people and 500,000 nursing home residents and workers ― will be eligible for the fourth dose.
But the agency said that a rollout of the fourth shot for people not in the vulnerable groups is not under review. It also noted that vaccination records for the fourth shot, while visible via the COOV app, will not be linked to the vaccine pass system. In other words, those who are eligible for a fourth shot will not necessarily be denied from entering multiuse facilities if they have not received the shot yet.
