◀ anchor ▶
The number of new cases has crossed 14,000.
Compared to Monday, it is almost double in three days.
The number of confirmed cases being treated at home has also exceeded 40,000, and it is approaching the maximum capacity the government can manage.
The government has decided to increase the ability to respond to home treatment, but not to strengthen social distancing.
First of all, this is reporter Shin Jeong-yeon.
◀ Report ▶
The number of new COVID-19 cases rose by more than 1,500 in one day to 14,518.
At the same time as the highest number of confirmed cases, it doubled from 7,000 in just three days.
Considering that it took 6 days to double from regarding 3,000 to 7,000 just before, the ‘doubling’ time was also cut in half.
[정재훈/가천대 의대 예방의학과 교수]
“We expect that this rate of increase will be maintained for a while. And the period of increase might be 5 to 8 weeks…”
By region, the number of confirmed cases in the metropolitan area such as Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon accounted for 63.9% of the total and 36.1% from the non-metropolitan area.
If there is a large movement from the metropolitan area to the non-metropolitan area this weekend during the Lunar New Year holidays, the spread of Omicron is expected to accelerate nationwide.
As the number of confirmed cases surged, the number of home-treated patients was also the highest at 42,000.
We are already approaching the limit of response, accounting for 74% of the 58,000 people that can be afforded through managed medical institutions.
The government plans to increase management capacity by simplifying the monitoring of at-home caregivers as there are many asymptomatic and mild patients due to the nature of Omicron.
[정은경/질병관리청장]
“We are working hard to build a system that not only expands home treatment medical institutions to expand their capabilities, but can also link treatment with local hospitals and clinics.”
At the same time, the government has announced that it will manage the Omicron epidemic without further strengthening social distancing.
Despite the rapid increase in the number of confirmed cases, it is judged that it is possible to cope with the current distance as the number of patients in critical condition is around 300 and the bed operation rate is 18.3%, which is a stable management situation.
This is Jeongyeon Shin from MBC News.
Video coverage: Jung Woo-young / Video editing: Song Ji-won
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