[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] As of the 9th, there are 65 severe or higher cases among domestic confirmed COVID-19 patients, of which 42 are in critical condition.
At the regular briefing on the afternoon of the same day, Kwak Jin, Head of the Epidemiological Investigation Team 1 at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19, stated, "There are 23 patients classified as severe, who are wearing oxygen masks or have a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius, and 42 patients in critical condition who are using mechanical ventilation or artificial respirators."
Among the confirmed patients undergoing isolation treatment, severe patients receive treatments such as ECMO and artificial respirators, as well as oxygen mask therapy. ECMO stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, 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. Artificial respirators through intubation are used to treat patients who cannot breathe on their own. Patients in a better condition than this but with a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius or pneumonia causing decreased oxygen saturation receive oxygen mask therapy.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Korea as of midnight on the same day is 7,382. According to data compiled by the quarantine authorities and local governments, 53 of these patients have died. Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, said, "Recently, as the number of elderly patients and confirmed cases has increased in the Daegu area, the number of critically ill patients has also risen. Although active treatment is being provided at severe treatment hospitals, the number of deaths continues to increase due to the high number of elderly patients."
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