Average Daily COVID-19 Cases Increase by 1.1% from Previous Week... Government Says "Situation Stable"

Fatality rate decreases to 0.06%
Fatality and severity rates at minimum levels

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by 1.1% on average per day last week compared to the previous week. However, the government stated that the weekly fatality rate and severe case rate recorded their lowest levels in 28 weeks and 9 weeks respectively, indicating that the quarantine situation is being managed stably.

Han Chang-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is speaking at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting for COVID-19 response held on the morning of the 5th at the Seoul Situation Center of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters in the Government Seoul Office Building, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Han Chang-seop, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Vice Minister and Acting Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety), announced at a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting at the Government Seoul Office on the 5th, "the average daily number of confirmed cases last week was 10,104," adding, "this is a 1.1% increase compared to the previous week."

On the other hand, the weekly fatality rate for the third week of March was 0.06%. This is the lowest level in 28 weeks since the first week of September last year, when it was 0.07%. The weekly severe case rate was also 0.19%, the lowest in 9 weeks since the third week of January, when it was 0.22%.

Deputy Minister Han said, "The government will prepare without delay for the transition to the general medical system according to the 'COVID-19 Crisis Level Adjustment Roadmap' announced last week," and added, "To this end, we will expand emergency treatment beds together with local governments and have each local government establish a 'Response Plan According to COVID-19 Crisis Level Adjustment.'"

He emphasized, "Protecting high-risk groups is of utmost importance to move toward daily recovery," and requested, "In facilities where mask-wearing is mandatory, such as infection-vulnerable facilities, medical institutions, and pharmacies, please wear masks at all times, and if confirmed positive, strictly observe home quarantine to help protect high-risk groups such as the elderly."