"5 Severe COVID-19 Patients, 13 Critical Cases Receiving Oxygen Therapy, etc. (Update)"

Image source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] As of the 26th, among the confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea, 5 patients are in critical condition, and 13 patients are receiving oxygen therapy as severe cases.

At the regular briefing on the afternoon of the same day, Kwak Jin, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Patient Management Team 2 at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19, stated, "Among the confirmed patients currently hospitalized, 13 patients are classified as severe due to oxygen mask treatment or fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius, and 5 patients are in critical condition undergoing intubation and mechanical ventilation." He added, "Among the 13 severe patients, 10, and among the 5 critical patients, 2 were transferred from Cheongdo Daenam Hospital."

For severe patients under isolation treatment, therapies such as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), mechanical ventilation, and oxygen mask treatment are administered. ECMO is a device that removes blood from critically ill patients whose heart and lungs are not functioning properly, supplies oxygen, and returns it to the body. Mechanical ventilation through intubation is used to treat patients who cannot breathe on their own. Oxygen mask treatment is given to patients whose oxygen saturation has dropped due to pneumonia or other conditions but are in a better state than those requiring mechanical ventilation.

Meanwhile, as of 9 a.m. on the same day, the total number of COVID-19 patients in South Korea is 1,146. Among the confirmed cases, 12 have died so far.