Hong Jeong-ik, Director of the Infectious Disease Policy Bureau of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Appears on YTN Radio
“Currently half of last year’s level… if it continues to increase, it is expected to reach 350,000 people”
“Regular supply of treatment expanded from today… leeway until the end of August”
“Many mild patients… can be managed sufficiently at this stage”
Health authorities predicted that if the spread of COVID-19 continues, there will be 350,000 new patients per week by the end of this month.
Hong Jeong-ik, director of the infectious disease policy bureau of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, appeared on YTN’s “Wise Radio Life” on the 19th and said, “We are currently seeing (the number of patients) at about half the level of August of last year,” and “We expect the number of COVID-19 patients to increase until the end of August. The highest number of patients last year was about 350,000 per week, and we expect it to reach that level.”
Currently, COVID-19 is not under full surveillance since it was downgraded to a level 4 infectious disease. Instead, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency is monitoring the status of hospitalized patients at 220 hospital-level or higher sample surveillance institutions nationwide. The number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients has been increasing since the end of June, reaching 1,359 in the second week of this month, the highest level this year.
Director Hong said that considering the pattern of the epidemic last year, this summer’s epidemic is not particularly unusual, but added, “We believe that the severe heat wave this summer has had an impact due to lack of air conditioning and ventilation. It is not a good situation for transmission.”
The reason for the shortage of treatment was explained by the fact that there were far more patients than the authorities had predicted. They said that the use of treatment had increased significantly compared to the outbreak last summer, but they had not anticipated this.
Director Hong said, “Last year in July and August, the number of prescriptions for treatment increased by 3-4 times compared to May and June when there was no epidemic, but this year, the increase was even greater, more than 40 times, so there was a temporary phenomenon where pharmacies ran out of medicine.”
Director Hong said, “We began securing additional (treatment) drugs at the end of July, and through consultations with pharmaceutical companies, supply began last week,” adding, “The regular supply to the responsible pharmacies is being expanded starting today, and we expect to have sufficient supply, including the remaining amount, by the end of August.”
The virus currently leading the COVID-19 epidemic is KP.3 of the Omicron lineage. Authorities report that the fatality rate and severe case rate are lower than those of previously prevalent viruses. However, high-risk groups such as the elderly over 65 years of age and immunocompromised people are at risk as much as the flu, so treatment is necessary to prevent severe cases.
Director Hong said that there is no need to immediately raise the COVID-19 crisis level to the “concern” level. However, he mentioned that if the epidemic continues to spread in September, the response system may be changed, such as taking measures in preparation for the Chuseok holiday.
Director Hong said, “Although the number of patients is increasing, most of them are mild patients, so we believe that the situation can be sufficiently managed at this stage.” He added, “We are focusing on monitoring high-risk groups, closely monitoring epidemic trends, and will respond jointly with relevant ministries to ensure that there are no disruptions in the supply of treatments.”
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2024-08-19 18:46:11