COVID-19 Severe Bed Occupancy Rate Eases to 30% Range... Lower Than Before 'With Corona'

On the afternoon of the 12th, a hospital official at Konyang University Hospital in Gwanjeo-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, is moving equipment to be placed in additional beds for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] The utilization rate of severe COVID-19 hospital beds has dropped to the 30% range, reaching a level lower than before the implementation of the 'gradual recovery to daily life (With Corona)'.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) on the 16th, as of midnight on the 15th, the nationwide utilization rate of severe COVID-19 hospital beds was 33.8%, lower than 45.2% at midnight on November 1st last year, when the gradual recovery to daily life began. The utilization rate of severe beds rose to 81.6% in the third week of December last year but has steadily eased to 79.3% in the fourth week of December, 71.9% in the fifth week of December, and 57.0% in the first week of January.

The utilization rate of semi-severe beds fell from 60.0% on November 1st last year to 36.4% on the 15th, and the beds in infectious disease-dedicated hospitals also decreased from 51.4% to 28.8% during the same period.

This decline in bed utilization rates appears to be due to an increase in dedicated COVID-19 beds and a decrease in the number of critically ill patients. Since November 1st last year until the day before, a total of 8,181 beds have been added. Intensive care treatment beds increased by 697, semi-intensive care beds by 1,609, and infectious disease-dedicated hospital beds by 5,875.

The number of critically ill patients has also decreased. Over the week from the 9th, the number of critically ill patients dropped from 821 → 786 → 780 → 749 → 701 → 659 → 626, and on the 16th, it recorded the 600s for three consecutive days at 612.

Since the 14th, the government has been prescribing Pfizer’s oral antiviral treatment, 'Paxlovid,' which prevents progression to severe COVID-19, to patients. Priority prescription targets are symptomatic individuals aged 65 or older or immunocompromised patients who are under home treatment or admitted to residential treatment centers.

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