Officials said on Wednesday that South Korea had reported its first five cases of the Omicron strain, while daily coronavirus infections surpassed 5,000 for the first time, raising concerns about a significant increase in patients with severe symptoms.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, a fully vaccinated couple tested positive for the variety after arriving from Nigeria last week, followed by two of their family members and a friend (KDCA).
The daily COVID-19 tally in South Korea reached 5,123.
The uptick began in early November, after the country’s limitations were eased. The administration halted preparations for a further easing on Monday as a result of the new version.
On Wednesday, South Korea said that a United Nations peacekeeping conference, which is anticipated to draw more than 700 people to Seoul next week, will now be hosted online.
Although the UK has vaccinated roughly 92 percent of adults and is now focusing on children and a booster programme, doctors cautioned that instances would continue to grow until unprotected persons gained protection through infection.
“By reintroducing some of the social distancing measures, the authorities could reduce the number of instances,” said Jung Jae-hun, a professor of preventive medicine at Gachon University.
Hospitals in South Korea were treating 723 people with severe COVID-19, a new high.
In the greater Seoul area, about 90% of intensive care unit beds are full, with 842 patients awaiting admission.
The Korean Medical Association has urged the government to establish treatment centres and allow high-risk patients to receive antibody treatment before they develop serious symptoms.
Interior and Safety Minister Jeon Hae-cheol told a COVID-19 reaction meeting that authorities will obtain at least an additional 1,300 hospital beds by mid-December.
Over 84 percent of the severely ill patients were over the age of 60. Experts had warned that the immunizations’ antibody levels were decreasing and recommended the elderly to seek supplementary shots.
The additional cases on Tuesday brought the overall number of cases in South Korea to 452,350, with 3,658 deaths. Despite the increased rate of hospitalisation, the death rate remains low, at 0.81 percent, according to KDCA data.
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