◀ anchor ▶
On the 22nd day, the number of severe cases of Corona 19, which continued to be in the 1,000 range, eventually surpassed 1,300, a record high.
The number of people who died from Corona on a single day yesterday was also 432, the second highest in history.
The government is grappling with how to adjust the current social distancing rules that end this coming Sunday.
First of all, this is reporter Cho Kuk-hyun.
◀ Report ▶
1,301 people.
This is the first time that the number of patients with severe COVID-19 exceeds 1,300.
The Omicron epidemic seems to have passed its peak, with the number of new confirmed cases dropping by 66,000 from last Wednesday, but the number of patients with severe cases continues to rise.
The government does not see a significant departure from previous forecasts.
As the number of confirmed cases poured out at the peak of the epidemic, the number of severe cases will increase and decrease with time lag.
The increase was also lower than the original forecast, and it was analyzed that the peak would be formed between 1300 and 1700 people.
[손영래/중앙사고수습본부 사회전략반장]
“The (increase) slower than expected is probably the effect of lowering the severity of the disease through the characteristics of Omicron or the prescription of an oral treatment…”
The government believes that the utilization rate of intensive care beds is within a manageable range.
Nationwide, 2,600 beds are available, including 900 in the intensive care unit.
However, the increase in the number of deaths is something the government is concerned about.
In the Omicron epidemic, the interval between the increase in the number of confirmed cases and the increase in deaths is shortened by about one week, unlike the previous epidemic, and it is not clear whether the cause of death is due to Omicron or an underlying disease.
[손영래/중앙사고수습본부 사회전략반장]
“As some experts are concerned, (the death toll) will increase by two to three times, or if the number of deaths from underlying diseases is quite high, I think it will gradually decrease…”
The government is struggling with last minute measures to ease social distancing, which ends on Sunday, as the severity of the disease and the death toll rise.
The government is expected to announce a new social distancing plan the day after tomorrow after a meeting of the Daily Recovery Support Committee.
This is Jo Kook-hyun from MBC News.
Video coverage: Jung Woo-young / Video editing: Im Joo-hyang
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