The newly appointed Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong (R) presides over his first meeting at the government complex in central Seoul on Oct. 7, 2022. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s new COVID-19 cases were below 30,000 for the second straight day Friday, as the virus wave continued to show signs of slowing down.
The country reported 22,298 new COVID-19 infections, including 54 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 24,933,756, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Friday’s count is down from 28,648 cases a day earlier and lower than the weekly average of 23,538, showing that the virus wave has subsided since it peaked at over 180,000 cases a day in mid-August.
The KDCA reported 41 deaths from COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the death toll to 28,614.
The number of critically ill patients came to 329, up four from the previous day.
Earlier in the day, the government announced it will put in place negative pressure equipment at nursing homes and senior care hospitals amid concerns that ventilation systems at such facilities are vulnerable to infections.
Some 60,000 quarantine staff will be deployed at more than 20,000 elementary and middle schools across the country in an effort to prevent infections among young students.
Additional virus prevention measures will be in place during the upcoming college entrance exam scheduled for November as well, to prevent the mass gathering of applicants leading to a surge in new infections.
“The government will continue to carry on with flexible COVID-19 prevention measures that minimize the inconvenience to people’s everyday lives and maximize virus prevention effects. We will prepare to adapt to the environmental changes brought by COVID-19 with a more long-term perspective,” said Cho Kyoo-hong, the newly appointed health minister at his first meeting.
Starting this month, South Korea removed the COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing requirement for inbound travelers within 24 hours of arrival, in further relaxation of virus measures.
Late last month, the government lifted all outdoor mask mandates.
An indoor mask mandate, however, remains in place, amid concerns over a possible outbreak of a “twindemic” of COVID-19 and the seasonal influenza this winter.
(Yonhap)
