Will the shortage of ICU beds become a reality... Gyeongbuk, Jeonbuk, Jeonnam have zero

On the 31st, citizens are waiting to be tested at the screening clinic of Seoul Red Cross Hospital, designated as a dedicated hospital for COVID-19. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 30th that Seoul Red Cross Hospital, with a capacity of 140 beds, will be designated and operated as a dedicated COVID-19 hospital starting September 1. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Concerns are emerging that the shortage of hospital beds could become a reality as the number of new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) remains in the 400 to 500 range daily.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) on the 29th, out of 548 intensive care unit (ICU) beds nationwide as of the previous day, only 86 beds, or 15.7%, are immediately available for confirmed patients to be admitted. As of the 27th, there were 92 ICU beds immediately available, meaning 6 beds decreased in just one day.

The shortage of ICU beds is a similar situation nationwide. In particular, three local governments?Gyeongbuk, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam?are reported to have no available ICU beds at all. In the metropolitan area, which accounts for more than 60% of total confirmed cases, there are 8 ICU beds left in Seoul, 15 in Incheon, and 18 in Gyeonggi.

Although new confirmed cases have been occurring at a rate of 400 to 500 per day recently, fewer than 100 ICU beds remain, which could soon cause significant disruptions in bed management. The CDSCH previously stated in a briefing on the 18th, "Assuming 300 new confirmed cases per day and a 3% ICU rate (9 patients), 119 ICU beds can manage for about two weeks."

Meanwhile, out of 4,479 beds nationwide dedicated to infectious disease hospitals treating patients with relatively mild symptoms, 1,965 beds (43.9%) are available. There are 16 residential treatment centers nationwide where mild or asymptomatic patients can isolate, with a total capacity of 3,478 people. The current number of residents is 2,009 (57.8%).

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