Seoul, Nov 26th : .South Korea’s coronavirus cases fell below 4,000 for the second consecutive day Friday, but critical cases reached a record high amid fears that the virus could rapidly spread under loosening social distancing rules.The country reported 3,901 new Covid-19 infections, including 3,882 local infection cases, bringing the total caseload up to 432,901, Yonhap reported.Yonhap cited the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
This was down from the 3,938 reported on Thursday.It was also lower than the 4,115 reported Wednesday.
This was the highest reported case since January 2020, when the first South Korean case was reported.
Critically ill patients reached an all-time record 617, five more than the previous record on Thursday.Covid-19 caused 39 more deaths in the country, bringing the total to 3,440.
There have been concerns about an increase in infections since the government started to ease virus restrictions early this month.
This is under the three-phase “living With Covid-19” scheme.
South Korea had planned to move to the second stage by mid-December.
However, health officials have warned that the country may not achieve this if the current trend continues.
Concerns about a shortage in hospital beds, especially in the Greater Seoul area, which is home to approximately half of the country’s 52million inhabitants, are growing due to rising infections and critical cases.
“Just four weeks after starting the move towards normalcy in stages, we are facing our biggest challenge in fighting against Covid-19,” Kwon Deok Cheol, Health Minister, stated.
He said, “With the virus spreading rapidly among seniors and sharp increases in critical case and death rates, the hospital beds in intensive care units are being stretched to their limits.”
Minister said Monday that the government would announce stronger antivirus measures to stop the spread of the virus.
According to health authorities, 1,310 patients were waiting for one or two days before they could be admitted to the hospital in the Greater Seoul area.
This was the highest number of patients since the pandemic.
Seoul, the Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon, which are all located in the western part of the country, reported 1,739, 1,115, and 245 cases respectively.They accounted for approximately 80 percent of all local infections.
42.42 million people have had their first doses of Covid-19 vaccines.40.76 million, or 79%, have been fully vaccinated.
int/shs #Covid #SKoreas #critical #numbers
