Authorities: "64 Severe COVID-19 Patients... One Each in Their 20s and 40s" (Update)

Image source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] As of the 23rd, there are 91 patients classified as severe or higher among the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Korea, of which 64 are in critical condition. Among the critically ill patients, there is one person in their 20s and one in their 40s.

Gwak Jin, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Patient Management Team at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19, stated at the regular briefing in the afternoon, "There are 27 patients classified as severe, who are wearing oxygen masks or have a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius, and 64 patients in critical condition who are using mechanical ventilation or artificial respirators. Among the critically ill patients, as of yesterday (the 22nd), there is one patient each in their 20s and 40s," he said.

For severe or higher patients undergoing isolation treatment, therapies such as ECMO and artificial respirator treatment, as well as oxygen mask treatment, are administered. ECMO stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a device that removes blood from critically ill patients whose heart and lungs are not functioning properly, supplies oxygen, and then returns it to the body.

Artificial respirators via intubation are also used to treat patients who are unable to breathe on their own. For patients in a better condition but with a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius or pneumonia causing decreased oxygen saturation, oxygen mask treatment is provided.

Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea as of midnight today is 8,961. Among them, the number of deaths is identified as 115, including those not yet officially reflected in the authorities' statistics.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.