Deaths Occur Amid Omicron Spread... With Corona Moves Further Away

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] As the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant worsens worldwide, the first death caused by the Omicron variant has occurred domestically. While some countries are easing quarantine measures considering the negative economic impact amid the Omicron spread, experts say it is premature to introduce such measures in South Korea.

According to health authorities on the 4th, two people in their 90s who were hospitalized at a nursing hospital in Nam-gu, Gwangju, and tested positive for COVID-19, died on the 27th and 29th of last month while receiving treatment. Among the two deceased, one was confirmed to be infected with Omicron, but the other was classified as an 'epidemiologically related person' and died before Omicron infection could be confirmed. Authorities explained that it is impossible to confirm the infection for epidemiologically related persons due to the lack of additional samples for analysis. However, considering that a cluster infection occurred in this nursing hospital with 21 confirmed cases, and three of them, including the deceased, were confirmed to have Omicron, it is highly likely that the related deceased were also infected with Omicron.

With the first domestic Omicron death, health authorities remain on high alert. Son Young-rae of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters warned on the morning of the previous day, "We are quite tense as we see that Omicron could be more dangerous than Delta," adding, "Overall deaths due to Omicron could increase." Since the overall damage must be assessed by considering the scale of infection, severity rate, and fatality rate, even if the severe case rate decreases, if the scale of infection increases more, the absolute number of confirmed cases, severe cases, and deaths could rise.

The situation overseas, where the Omicron variant began spreading earlier than in South Korea, is more severe. According to COVID-19 statistics from Johns Hopkins University in the U.S., the number of confirmed cases last week, as of the 2nd, was 10.14 million, about twice the 5.24 million cases of the previous week. Confirmed cases are rapidly increasing in the U.S. (2.82 million), the U.K. (1.35 million), France (1.13 million), Italy (680,000), and other countries in the U.S. and Europe where Omicron is spreading quickly.

On the 30th of last month (local time), medical staff collected samples from residents at a temporary COVID-19 testing site in Washington DC, USA. [Image source=Yonhap News]

However, major countries are taking contrasting measures in response. The U.S., the U.K., and Italy are easing quarantine measures amid the Omicron spread. The U.S. shortened the isolation period from 10 days to 5 days for vaccinated individuals and asymptomatic confirmed cases on the 27th of last month. The U.K. also reduced the self-isolation period from 10 days to 7 days for breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals starting from the 21st of last month. Italy exempts self-isolation for those who have been vaccinated within the last 120 days.

These measures are based on the judgment that the current quarantine measures are adversely affecting the economy due to excessive spread of COVID-19. Jang Young-wook, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, explained, "As the spread is happening too quickly, strict isolation criteria like before would paralyze society," adding, "The Omicron variant has lower hospitalization and fatality rates than previous variants, and immunity from vaccination and natural infection means the severity rate is expected to be lower than before."

On the other hand, Germany and France are strengthening quarantine measures. Germany canceled the annual New Year's fireworks festival for the second consecutive year and banned the use of multi-use facilities such as swimming pools, nightclubs, and cinemas. France shortened the minimum interval for the third vaccination dose to three months and mandated at least three days of remote work for all companies capable of telecommuting for three weeks. Nightclubs remain closed until further notice.

On the 3rd, when 3,129 new COVID-19 cases were reported, citizens visiting the temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul City Hall Plaza were waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Experts predict that considering the current domestic situation, it will be difficult to ease quarantine measures in South Korea amid the spread of the Omicron variant. Professor Kim Tak of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital said, "Considering the situations in other countries, it is not an exaggeration to expect daily new confirmed cases to exceed 20,000 to 30,000 in South Korea," adding, "Measures such as shortening the isolation period are more like last-resort measures to avoid socioeconomic paralysis and could worsen the epidemic situation."

Researcher Jang also said, "Since most immunity in Korea is acquired through vaccination rather than natural infection, considering Omicron's vaccine escape effect, it could spread faster," adding, "Maintaining the current level of social distancing, whether voluntarily or through regulation, is necessary until this winter passes."

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