New COVID-19 cases in South Korea exceeded 7,000 for the third consecutive day yesterday, as a record-breaking surge weighs on hospitals and threatens the country’s goals to weather the pandemic without lockdowns.
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum told a COVID-19 response meeting that the country could be forced to take “extraordinary” measures if the surge does not slow soon.
Officials issued administrative orders requiring hospitals around the country to designate a total of 2,000 more beds for COVID-19 treatment.
Photo: AP
Kim said that the South Korean government would also speed up the administration of booster shots by shortening the interval between the second and third COVID-19 vaccine injections from four or five months to three months starting next week.
About 41.5 million people, or 81 percent of the population of more than 51 million, have been fully vaccinated, but only 10 percent have received booster shots.
The spread of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the past few weeks has been accompanied by a spike in hospitalizations and deaths, many among people in their 60s or older whose immunities have waned after being inoculated early in the vaccine rollout, which began in February.
Officials tightened restrictions starting on Monday, banning private social gatherings of seven or more people in the greater Seoul area, and requiring adults to verify their vaccination status at restaurants and other indoor venues.
However, Kim said that such measures have not yet showed an effect in slowing transmissions.
“If it becomes clear that we aren’t succeeding in reversing this crisis situation within the next few days, the government will have no other choice but to employ extraordinary anti-virus measures, including strong social distancing,” said Kim, the country’s second-highest official after South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
South Korean Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lee Ki-il said that officials might further reduce the limit on social gatherings, and restore business-hour restrictions at restaurants and bars that were lifted last month if things continue to look bad next week.
“We will try our best to avoid a lockdown,” Lee said.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said that about 5,300 of the 7,022 new cases reported yesterday were from metropolitan Seoul, where the virus has hit hardest.
The country’s death toll is at 4,130, after 53 people died from the virus within 24 hours, while 852 others were in serious or critical conditions.
South Korea has also tightened its border controls to fend off the new Omicron variant since identifying its first cases last week that were linked to arrivals from Nigeria.
The KDCA said health workers confirmed three more Omicron infections yesterday, bringing the tally to 63.
Scientists say it is not yet clear whether Omicron is more contagious or dangerous than other variants.
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