Omicron Spread Causes Surge in Confirmed Cases... Will Daily Cases Exceed 50,000?

On the 7th, when 35,286 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@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] As the Omicron variant virus rapidly spreads, it is expected that the number of new COVID-19 cases will reach the 50,000 range on the 9th.

According to the quarantine authorities, from midnight to 9 p.m. the previous day, 40,944 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported across 17 cities and provinces nationwide. This is the highest number of cases in the 40,000 range since the COVID-19 outbreak began in Korea. Compared to the same time on the 7th, the number increased by 9,167 cases.

As of 9 p.m., more than 10,000 cases were reported in Seoul alone (11,500 cases), and Gyeonggi Province (9,418 cases) also approached 10,000 cases, with most regions reporting record-high numbers of confirmed cases.

Considering the additional cases reported until midnight and the unprecedented surge, the number of new confirmed cases on the 9th is expected to be at least in the high 40,000s, possibly exceeding 50,000.

Earlier, the quarantine authorities projected that due to the spread of Omicron, daily confirmed cases could reach between 130,000 and 170,000 by the end of this month.

To minimize casualties, the government will implement a new home treatment system focusing only on the 'high-risk group' starting from the 10th. Since most Omicron infections are mild or asymptomatic, the strategy is to allocate limited medical resources to the high-risk group to suppress the occurrence of severe cases as much as possible.

Those aged 60 and above, patients in their 50s with underlying conditions, and immunocompromised individuals are classified as the 'intensive management group,' and their assigned medical institutions will conduct health monitoring twice a day as before. Oral antiviral medication 'Paxlovid' will also be prescribed if necessary.

However, most of the 'general management group,' who are not part of the intensive management group, must manage their health on their own at home. When needed, they can call nearby hospitals or clinics, respiratory treatment-designated medical institutions, or respiratory specialized clinics to receive non-face-to-face consultations, or visit short-term outpatient treatment centers to receive medical services such as testing, treatment, surgery, or short-term hospitalization.

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