SURGE IN SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS

[Anchor Lead]

Serious cases of COVID-19 have numbered above 400 for ten straight days. The hospital bed occupancy rate for seriously ill patients has gone way over 70% to cause concern for bed shortage.

[Pkg]

The number of serious COVID-19 cases now stands at 471, with people aged 60 and older accounting for 81% of them. The number shrank by 12 from the previous day, but the cases still hovered in the 400 range for ten straight days, closing in on 500. The number of deaths from COVID-19 also spiked with 257 reported since the“return to normalcy” measures were implemented. Most of the deaths occurred among the elderly. With an increase in serious and critical cases, the bed occupancy rates in the capital region are either nearing or already exceeded 75% as of the implementation of the government’s emergency plan. Authorities believe hospitals can easily handle up to 500 serious cases. Patients can be transported to non-capital areas with more available beds to prevent overcrowding of seriously ill patients in the capital region.

[Soundbite] Prof. Choi Won-suk(Korea Univ. Ansan Hospital) : "Seriously ill patients should not be transported too far since their conditions could worsen during the process. They should be handled by nearby hospitals in the area."

The government will announce a set of more relaxed disease control indicators on Tuesday. The announcement will include the conditions for easing disease control regulations further and for activating emergency disease control measures. The new disease control indicators will be determined by various factors including the availability of medical resources.

[Soundbite] Lee Sang-won(Central Disease Control HQs(Nov. 9)) : "Several factors will be taken into consideration such as the occupancy rate of ICU beds, the number of positive cases and positivity rate."

Last week’s reproduction number fell slightly to 1.07 from 1.2 in the week prior. It will take another week to determine if the increase in serious cases will continue or slow down.