Hospital Bed Shortage Becomes Reality... 수도권 Expected to Be Fully Occupied Within This Week

Possibility of More Critically Ill Patients Increasing
All-Out Effort to Secure Additional Beds Mainly in Large Hospitals

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] As the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continues to rise by 400 to 500 daily, the feared shortage of hospital beds is emerging in various places. In some regions, there have been no severe patient beds left for several days, and it is expected that intensive care unit (ICU) beds in Seoul and other metropolitan areas will be fully occupied within this week.

In Busan, where cases have surged recently, some patients were sent to Daegu due to a lack of beds. Health authorities and local governments are working to secure additional beds mainly in large hospitals, but it is difficult to secure medical staff for patient treatment in the short term, causing hospitals to express reluctance. Since additional beds must be kept available until the 3rd for confirmed examinees taking the College Scholastic Ability Test, the bed shortage situation is expected to continue for the time being.

On the 30th of last month, citizens were waiting to get tested at the COVID-19 screening clinic of the Gangnam-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

Severe and Critical Patients Increase by 21 in One Day
One in Four Patients Aged 60 or Older... Expected to Rise Further
Less Than 5 ICU Beds Available in All Non-Metropolitan Areas

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight on the 1st, 451 new confirmed cases were recorded. Of these, 420 are presumed to be domestic infections, and 31 are imported cases. The number of patients under isolation treatment increased by nearly 200 from the previous day to 6,241. This is the highest level since the surge of patients in Daegu and Gyeongbuk in mid-March.

In particular, the number of severe and critical patients receiving treatments such as mechanical ventilation rose by 21 from the previous day to 97. Elderly patients and those with underlying conditions often worsen around five days after confirmation. This means that severe and critical patients increase with some time lag following the surge in new confirmed cases. Although the third wave is spreading mainly among younger people, the overall patient scale has grown, and one in four patients is aged 60 or older, so the number of severe and critical patients is likely to increase further.

Intensive care unit inside the negative pressure isolation ward at the National Medical Center (Central Infectious Disease Hospital). Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

According to the bed availability status identified by health authorities through local governments, in the metropolitan area where beds are shared, 28 out of 243 ICU beds (including general ICU beds, as of the 30th of last month) remain. Due to the influx of critical patients in major large hospitals over the weekend, the frontline medical staff feel the situation is much more severe.

In regions such as Gyeongnam, where cluster infections have occurred, as well as Jeonbuk and Jeonnam, ICU beds have been fully occupied for several days, making it impossible to admit new patients. Except for Jeju, all non-metropolitan areas currently have fewer than five ICU beds available. Since cluster infections in vulnerable facilities like nursing homes could immediately lead to dozens of critical patients, some capacity must be reserved, but most regions are already on the brink.

Busan Confirmed Patients Hospitalized in Daegu
Some Wait After Confirmation Due to Bed Shortage
Seoul City Sends SOS to Large Hospitals

In Busan, where dozens of new confirmed cases are reported daily, 20 patients were sent to an infectious disease-dedicated hospital in Daegu yesterday due to a lack of beds. This is the first time Busan has sent local patients outside the region. Similarly, in Chungbuk, where many patients emerged from cluster outbreaks, some confirmed patients had to wait at home because of bed shortages.

On the afternoon of the 30th, confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) from the Busan area arrived at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in Jung-gu, Daegu. As the number of confirmed cases in the Busan area surged recently and hospital beds became scarce, health authorities transferred some of the confirmed patients to Daegu on this day.

The system to discharge patients who improve or meet isolation release criteria and transfer them to living treatment centers is not yet operating smoothly, causing delays in early treatment for confirmed cases and increasing the burden on frontline medical staff, creating a vicious cycle.

Seoul City plans to meet with medical directors of major university hospitals, including Seoul Samsung Hospital, to discuss ways to secure dedicated COVID-19 patient beds. The government will also announce additional bed securing measures on the 2nd. The problem is that not only securing beds but also recruiting medical staff such as doctors and nurses is difficult.

A representative from a large hospital in Seoul said, "Severe patients require two to three times more care staff than general patients, but as the COVID-19 situation prolongs, fatigue is severe and many existing nursing staff have left," adding, "Recruiting staff cannot be resolved in the short term, making the situation much more serious than before."

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