Over 26,000 Domestic COVID-19 Cases Are 'Reinfections'... 37 Cases of Third Infection

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Among domestic COVID-19 confirmed cases, 0.284% are estimated to be reinfection cases.

On the 12th, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that, based on an investigation of reinfection cases among all confirmed COVID-19 patients, approximately 26,239 people in South Korea are believed to have been reinfected with COVID-19. This accounts for 0.284% of the total confirmed cases.

Among them, 26,202 were infected twice, and 37 were infected three times.

The reinfection rate increased starting from the Omicron wave. Until December of last year, before the spread of Omicron, the estimated reinfection rate (for those infected twice) was 0.098% (570 people), but since January, it has increased about threefold to 0.296% (25,632 people).

There were 14 severe cases and 15 deaths after reinfection. The cumulative severity rate after reinfection was 0.10%, and the fatality rate was 0.06%, which corresponded to 63.0% and 50.0% of the overall severity and fatality rates among all confirmed cases, respectively.

Previously, the Central Disease Control Headquarters conducted a full investigation of reinfection cases among approximately 9.24 million confirmed cases from January 2020 to March 19, 2022, considering the recent Omicron surge. Before this, reinfection monitoring was conducted only for cases that met the 'reinfection definition' registered in the COVID-19 information management system.

Currently, South Korea's reinfection criteria are ▲ cases where the COVID-19 virus is detected again 90 days or more after the initial confirmed date, and ▲ cases where the virus is detected again between 45 and 89 days with symptoms or exposure to a confirmed case.

Other countries have relatively higher reinfection rates than South Korea. In the UK, 10% of all confirmed cases during January and February were reinfections, and in France, 3.1% of all confirmed cases from March 2021 to February 20 were reinfections.

Lee Sang-won, head of the Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Division at the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said, "Since many people have been infected, the number of reinfections among future cases may increase. Although South Korea's reinfection rate is low compared to overseas, it could rise to levels similar to France."

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced plans to continuously monitor the occurrence of reinfection cases, the impact of vaccination, and severity. They also plan to analyze and report reinfection estimates for all confirmed cases every two weeks.

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