As the COVID-19 resurgence begins in earnest, the number of patients with severe cases is increasing significantly, and there are concerns that the quarantine authorities may end the ‘home treatment monitoring’ for high-risk groups, which may create a blind spot in the medical system.
According to the Central Defense Countermeasures Headquarters on the 1st, as of 00:00 on the same day, 44,689 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, and the total cumulative number of confirmed cases was 1,82739.
The number of new confirmed cases on this day was 1.24 times the number of 35,860 on the 25th of last month, a week ago, and 1.7 times compared to the 26,278 on the 18th of last month, two weeks ago. As of Monday’s announcement, it recorded the highest number of confirmed cases in 15 weeks since 47,726 on April 18.
The number of new confirmed cases has doubled over the past few weeks, doubling in one week, but the rate of increase has recently slowed.
However, unlike new confirmed cases, the number of patients with severe cases continues to double. The number of critically ill patients on this day was 287, an increase of three from the previous day, the highest in 75 days since 313 on May 18, 1.99 times from a week ago and 3.54 times from two weeks ago.
Among them, the quarantine authorities applied the reorganized home treatment system from this day and stopped ‘health monitoring’ for home healers. This raises concerns that a blind spot may arise in the management of high-risk groups.
For face-to-face treatment, it is necessary to check whether each medical institution provides face-to-face treatment and whether it operates at night or on weekends, which can be difficult for the elderly.
In the meantime, the authorities have classified high-risk confirmed patients who are at high risk of developing serious illness, such as the elderly over 60 and those with weakened immune systems, into the ‘intensive home treatment group’, and monitor their health status by phone once a day until the day the quarantine is lifted. However, as the number of hospitals and clinics that can provide face-to-face treatment increased, it was decided to unify the management of confirmed cases through face-to-face treatment rather than telephone consultation.
However, the 24-hour medical consultation center for home therapists will continue to operate. If symptoms related to COVID-19 worsen, you can contact the center.
Ji-min Jang, Guest Reporter at Hankyung.com [email protected]
