People stand in line to undertake COVID-19 tests at a makeshift testing station in Seoul on Oct. 23, 2022. South Korea reported 26,256 new infections on the day, up by 4,800 cases from the previous week, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s new COVID-19 cases fell to below 15,000 on Monday, but the daily count recorded a marked rise from the previous week amid concerns over a virus resurgence in the winter.
The country reported 14,302 new COVID-19 infections, including 56 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 25,311,636, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
The figure marked a fall from the previous day’s 26,256 new infections due mainly to fewer tests over the weekend, and it is the first time in a week that the daily count fell below 15,000.
But it is 3,277 more than that logged the previous week. Two weeks ago, the country reported 8,974 new cases.
The country reported 10 deaths from COVID-19 on Monday, raising the death toll to 29,000. The fatality rate stood at 0.11 percent.
The number of critically ill patients came to 226, up 14 from a day earlier, the KDCA said.
The daily count reported on-week growth for the fourth straight day on Monday, raising concerns over another virus wave nationwide.
The country has seen a gradual decrease in the new virus wave since mid-August, but the pace of its decline has slowed down recently.
The health authorities have warned of the resurgence in infections around December, and some experts said the country would experience a fresh wave as early as November.
The government has also said it is bracing for a possible outbreak of a “twindemic” of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza this winter, and stressed the importance of being vaccinated particularly for elderly people and other vulnerable groups.
Jung Ki-suck, a civilian adviser to the government task force on the pandemic, said during a press briefing that close monitoring is necessary to check whether the medical response system for young patients and in emergency rooms works properly to be fully prepared for a possible twindemic.
The government recently revised guidelines that allow rapid antigen tests for young emergency patients, rather than a PCR test, so as to swiftly provide them with necessary treatment at hospitals.
Speaking of indoor mask mandates, Jung said the rules would be in place “at least around three months.”
Last month, the government lifted all outdoor mask mandates as part of effort to support people’s return to normalcy. But it decided to continue to enforce indoor mask wearing rules.
(Yonhap)
