SURGE IN COVID-19 REINFECTION CASES

[Anchor Lead]

COVID-19 reinfections are on the rise. Korea reported more than 150-thousand new cases on as of midnight of wednesday. The current wave may see a turning point next week as the summer vacation season draws to a close.

[Pkg]

People are considered to be reinfected with COVID-19 if they test positive 45 days after their first infection. Suspected cases of reinfection in the 4th week of July accounted for 5.43% of total cases, slightly lower than the previous week. But the percentage is on the rise. Over 142-thousand cases so far are presumed to be reinfections.

[Soundbite] Lim Suk-young(Central Disease Control HQs) : "The surge is due to a number of factors including highly transmissible variants and waning effects of natural vaccine immunity."

Meanwhile, more than 150-thousand new cases were reported Wednesday. Health authorities, who earlier forecast the outbreak to peak at around 150-thousand, said the basis for that assessment is the weekly average daily caseload. In the past week, an average 97-thousand cases were confirmed per day, still below the 150-thousand mark the government has predicted to be the peak. It's possible the resurgence could escalate after the summer vacation season ends. The number of critically ill patients stands at 402.

[Soundbite] Prof. Eom Joong-sik(Gachon Univ.) : "Given hidden infections, there are still a large number of patients, inevitably raising the number of critically ill patients."

Also considering the hospital bed occupancy rate, the weekly COVID-19 risk level for non-capital areas has been raised to "high" again. Authorities have also secured additional doses of COVID-19 pills enough for 942-thousand people and are advising high-risk patients to take them.