COVID-19 RELATED INDICATORS SURGE

[Anchor Lead]

Since South Korea began a gradual return to normal life more than a week ago, all COVID-19-related indicators have been worsening. The reproduction number of COVID-19 has risen to 1.2 while the number of seriously ill patients is continuing to increase. The nation will likely introduce oral anti-COVID-19 pills in February next year.

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A daily average of some 2,134 COVID-19 cases were reported between November 1 and 7. The figure is up by an average of 417 more infections from a week earlier.

[Soundbite] Park Hyang(Central Disaster Management HQs) : "A large number of people remain unvaccinated, encouraging the transmission of the virus."

The reproduction rate of COVID-19 has jumped to 1.2, the highest level since mid-July. This indicates that the average number of COVID-19 patients increases by 1.2 times weekly, leading to a prediction that the nation will soon add some 3,000 new cases a day.

[Soundbite] Jung Jae-hun(Gachon University’s Medical College) : "It means the number of patients will increase by 1.2 times from 3,000. The number will again jump by 1.2 fold from the expected 3,600 showing a very steep growth."

The number of seriously ill patients and death has surged in a week. This increase is particularly obvious among the elderly aged 60 or above. The government plans to fully utilize hospital beds reserved for the less seriously ill patients and reduce the strain on medical workers.

[Soundbite] Lee Joong-kyu(Central Disaster Management HQs) : "Patients will be sent to wards reserved for less seriously ill patients so that the burden on medical workers will decrease to some degree."

Health authorities are asking elderly people older than 60 to receive booster shots, saying immunity considerably weakens in five months. In Israel, where over one million people have received booster shots, its recipients showed a hospitalization rate 93 percent lower than those who had completed vaccination five months earlier and did without a booster. Among booster shot recipients, the chances of falling into serious condition and the fatality rate were also 92 percent and 81 percent lower, respectively.

[Soundbite] Choi Won-suk(Korea University Ansan Hospital) : "Receiving booster shots raises immunity to the most effective level. Repeated vaccinations improve the amount and quality of the antibody."

The government plans to secure 404,000 doses of antiviral pills, which will begin rolling out in the nation beginning next February. Existing injection treatment will also be used along with the experimental oral drug in the fight against the coronavirus.