S. KOREA REPORTS 1,710 NEW CASES

[Anchor Lead]

Korea reported 1,710 new cases yesterday, seeing four-digit figures in confirmed cases for more than three weeks now. Disease control authorities are worried as tougher social distancing measures have yet to produce results. Level 4 measures have been enforced in the greater capital region and level 3 in other areas. Meanwhile, hospitals have opened temporary wards to deal with a spiking number of patients.

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1,710 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the nation. This number shows the spread is not being contained. Subsequently, shortage of hospital beds appears to be imminent. These are mobile negative-pressure wards set up urgently during the third surge. They haven’t been used since February but they were reopened recently as the number of new cases spiked. Up to 90% of the 170 beds in this hospital are in use as of late. Nine more nurses were recruited to deal with the latest surge, but a multiplying number of patients and hot weather are wearing out medical professionals.

[Soundbite] Shin Cha-su(Chief Nurse, 35th Ward, Seobuk Hospital) : "The number of in-patients under our care increased from 10 to more than 20. It takes twice as long for nurses to treat the patients."

It has been 24 days since the daily virus tally remained above 1,000. It had surpassed 1,200 on July 7th. The number of patients in serious or critical conditions is also increasing rapidly. Compared to earlier this month when daily cases were under 1,000, the figure doubled in just three weeks. Hospital beds are also filling up quickly. There are still sufficient beds for critically ill patients since only about 50% of them are occupied. But the utilization rate for beds in the infectious disease ward for patients in semi-critical condition has risen to 71% recently. Disease control authorities say the risk of infection runs higher this time than the three previous surges for the following three reasons. There are more silent infections, a slower decrease in movement despite tougher distancing measures, and a rising proportion of the Delta variant.

[Soundbite] Park Young-joon(Epidemiological Investigation Team, Central Disease Control HQs) : "The weapons against infectious diseases are not very different from existing ones. It’s a time-consuming and difficult fight."

Experts emphasized tougher measures like limiting the use of multipurpose facilities are needed to stop the fourth wave.