Record High in 42 Days
On the 6th, citizens who visited the screening clinic set up at Seocho-gu Public Health Center in Seoul, where new COVID-19 cases have increased by more than 20% in a week, showing signs of a resurgence, are waiting to be tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
The number of new daily COVID-19 cases is approaching 20,000, signaling a resurgence of the pandemic. The government is securing hospital beds for special patients such as those in labor and dialysis, and plans to accommodate confirmed cases in general hospital beds if isolation beds in emergency rooms become full.
According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 6th, as of midnight that day, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by 19,371 from the previous day, marking the highest figure in 42 days since May 25, when 23,945 cases were reported.
The daily new case count had steadily declined since the Omicron surge in March, hitting a low of 3,423 on the 27th of last month. However, it rose again to 9,894 on the 28th and surpassed 10,000 with 10,455 cases on the 29th. Since then, the numbers fluctuated between 9,591 → 9,523 → 10,713 → 10,053 → 6,253, before increasing to 18,147 cases the day before.
The government plans to secure an adequate number of hospital beds to ensure that special patients such as those in labor, dialysis, and pediatric cases can receive treatment without disruption despite the COVID-19 resurgence. They will respond flexibly to the demand for special beds. Guidelines will be clarified so that special patients can be transferred directly to hospitals where admission is possible, and in emergencies, self-admission will also be allowed. Emergency room operation guidelines will be revised to allow confirmed cases to be accommodated in general hospital beds if isolation beds in emergency rooms are fully occupied.
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