Assemblyman Kim Won-i: 1 in 10 Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Experience Symptom Worsening and Hospitalization

Assemblyman Kim Won-i: "Asymptomatic Patient Management Must Continue in With-Corona Phase"

Won-i Kim, Member of the National Assembly (Health and Welfare Committee, Mokpo)

[Mokpo=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Seunghyun] As the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases shows little sign of decreasing, it has been revealed that more than one in ten people admitted to residential treatment centers were transferred to hospitals midway.

Initially asymptomatic, symptoms may appear during isolation depending on the individual, and in such cases, the medical staff at the residential treatment centers monitored patients and transferred them to hospitals early.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 6th to Kim Won-i (Health and Welfare Committee, Mokpo City) of the Democratic Party of Korea, the total number of admissions to residential treatment centers from January to August this year was about 123,000.

Looking at the monthly status, admissions in July and August (67,613 people) accounted for 54.6% of the total.

In particular, in August (38,916 people), the number of admissions increased nearly fivefold compared to February (6,573 people). It appears that the residential treatment centers also experienced a severe concentration of patients during the summer.

Although patients were asymptomatic or did not require medical intervention at the time of admission, those whose symptoms worsened and were transferred to hospitals reached about 19,000 as of August this year. The hospital transfer rate compared to total admissions was 15.9%. This means that more than one in ten admitted patients received hospital treatment due to symptom aggravation during isolation.

Transfers were also concentrated in the summer, with patients transferred to medical institutions in August (7,455 people) accounting for 37.8% of the total. It seems that hospital transfers increased along with the rise in admissions.

The criteria for severe patients transferred to hospitals include clear consciousness with a fever exceeding 38 degrees Celsius despite taking antipyretics, symptoms of dyspnea, or pneumonia findings on imaging tests. Through monitoring by medical staff working at residential treatment centers, such cases are transferred to designated infectious disease hospitals in the respective areas.

Representative Kim Won-i said, “It is judged that appropriate hospital treatment was linked through continuous monitoring and observation of progress by the medical staff at residential treatment centers,” and added, “Measures should also be devised to block community transmission of COVID-19 by asymptomatic and mild patients in preparation for the With-Corona era.”

Meanwhile, there are a total of 88 residential treatment centers nationwide, with 62 in the metropolitan area and 26 in non-metropolitan areas. The capacity is about 19,000, and the current number of admissions is around 11,000 (as of September 29). The nationwide operation rate is 59.4%.

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