SEOUL: More than 40 per cent of new coronavirus cases in South Korea are being found in people over the age of 60, contributing in part to a surge in the number of COVID-19 patients who are severely or critically ill, health authorities said on Wednesday (Sep 2).
South Korea is battling a second wave of infection, centred in the capital Seoul and surrounding areas which are home to 25 million people.
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READ: No cramming as new COVID-19 rules take hold in South Korean capital
READ: South Korea marks 17th day of triple-digit COVID-19 cases with dining curbs
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 267 new cases as of midnight on Tuesday, a slight increase over the day before. Overall, South Korea has reported 20,449 cases and 326 deaths.
The number of severely or critically ill patients stood at 124 on Wednesday, Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip told a briefing, from just nine reported on Aug 18.
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"The number in critical condition is steadily increasing," he said.
South Korea was the site of the first large outbreak outside of China earlier this year, but a large percentage of those infected at the time were relatively young, possibly helping to keep the country's death toll relatively low, experts have said.
The surge in cases over the past three weeks has depleted medical facilities, with less than 3 per cent of hospital beds – or just nine – available for critical cases in greater Seoul, versus 22 per cent about 10 days ago, the health ministry said.
READ: Surge in South Korea COVID-19 cases sparks hospital bed shortage concerns
The government is working to secure more beds in the expectation that the number of severe cases will continue to rise because so many of the new patients are over Read More – Source
SEOUL: More than 40 per cent of new coronavirus cases in South Korea are being found in people over the age of 60, contributing in part to a surge in the number of COVID-19 patients who are severely or critically ill, health authorities said on Wednesday (Sep 2).
South Korea is battling a second wave of infection, centred in the capital Seoul and surrounding areas which are home to 25 million people.
Advertisement
Advertisement
READ: No cramming as new COVID-19 rules take hold in South Korean capital
READ: South Korea marks 17th day of triple-digit COVID-19 cases with dining curbs
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 267 new cases as of midnight on Tuesday, a slight increase over the day before. Overall, South Korea has reported 20,449 cases and 326 deaths.
The number of severely or critically ill patients stood at 124 on Wednesday, Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip told a briefing, from just nine reported on Aug 18.
Advertisement
Advertisement
"The number in critical condition is steadily increasing," he said.
South Korea was the site of the first large outbreak outside of China earlier this year, but a large percentage of those infected at the time were relatively young, possibly helping to keep the country's death toll relatively low, experts have said.
The surge in cases over the past three weeks has depleted medical facilities, with less than 3 per cent of hospital beds – or just nine – available for critical cases in greater Seoul, versus 22 per cent about 10 days ago, the health ministry said.
READ: Surge in South Korea COVID-19 cases sparks hospital bed shortage concerns
The government is working to secure more beds in the expectation that the number of severe cases will continue to rise because so many of the new patients are over Read More – Source
