◀ anchor ▶
The number of new confirmed cases has risen vertically to 90,000.
After Omicron was established as the dominant species, the ‘doubling phenomenon’, which doubled for 4 consecutive weeks from mid-January, continued, and eventually reached 100,000 people a day.
If this trend continues, there is a forecast that it will peak at 200,000 per day at the beginning of next month.
Instead, the critically ill patients are being managed stably.
First of all, this is reporter Lee Deok-young.
◀ Report ▶
A screening clinic in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
There was a long line long before the start of the examination.
“Even in the harsh cold weather, where the temperature has dropped below freezing, citizens are continuing to come here to be tested for the corona virus.”
There are 90,443 new cases of COVID-19.
It surged over 33,000 in one day, and the entry of 100,000 was imminent.
At the end of this month, the number of daily confirmed cases is expected to decrease gradually, reaching a maximum of 170,000 and peaking at 200,000 at the beginning of next month.
[정재훈/가천대 의대 예방의학과 교수]
“Because the rapid antigen test sensitivity is lowered, I think that the (published number) may be slightly lower than the actual (confirmed) number, but we expect it to be at least 200,000 people…”
On the other hand, the number of critically ill patients is around 300 for the third day, and the bed utilization rate is below 50%, which is a stable situation.
The number of critically ill patients per 1 million population is also 6, which is significantly lower than in countries where Omicron reached its peak and entered a downward phase, such as 46.3 in the United States, 49 in France, 29.5 in Germany, and 23.7 in Canada.
[손영래/중앙사고수습본부 사회전략반장]
“It is analyzed as a result of active treatment such as the unique characteristics of Omicron mutation, the high vaccination rate centered on the elderly, the reorganization of the response system centered on the high-risk group, and the expansion of oral medications.”
This is why the government is discussing easing the distance so that eight people can gather by 10 pm despite the rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases.
However, experts are calling for a cautious approach as it can lead to severe cases and an increase in the number of deaths if the quarantine is eased prematurely before reaching the peak of the epidemic.
[이재갑/한림대 강남성심병원 감염내과 교수]
“If we ease the distance now, the time to reach the peak will be shorter and the scale to the peak will increase.
The government announced that it would decide whether to ease the distance following comprehensively considering social and economic aspects such as quarantine and damage to the self-employed.
This is Lee Deok-young from MBC News.
Video coverage: Jung Woo-young, Na Kyung-woon/Video editing: Min Kyung-tae
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