South Korea announced a record 400,741 new daily cases of COVID-19, the Korean Agency for Disease Control and Prevention (KDCA) said on Wednesday, March 16 as the country seeks to further reduce social travel rules despite a wave of Omicron infections.
According to the Associated Press, the country recorded the deadliest day of the pandemic on Tuesday, when 293 people were reported dead.
South Korean health officials say the medical response has remained strong after efforts to expand resources, with more than 30 percent of intensive care units dedicated to COVID treatment. 19 is still available.
However, pressure on the hospital system is expected to increase in the coming weeks, given the time lags between infections, hospitalizations and deaths.
High Representative of the Ministry of Health Park Hyang said that due to the high vaccination coverage, the country has so far suffered an increase in omicrons with a lower mortality rate than in the United States and Europe, which were affected by this option. More than 62 percent of South Koreans received boosters.
Healthcare professionals have recently reduced quarantine restrictions and border controls and stopped requiring adults to present vaccination evidence as a negative test when entering areas that can be busy, such as restaurants, so that more public and health professionals can respond to the rapid expansion of home treatment.
The country has also changed its testing regime to focus on rapid antigen testing, despite concerns about accuracy, in order to maintain laboratory tests that are common to at-risk groups.
More than 1.6 million virus carriers with mild to moderate symptoms have been asked to be isolated at home to save hospital space, KDCA said.
According to the AP, South Korea will also launch a vaccine for children aged five to 11 at the end of this month.