OMICRON SPREADING FAST

[Anchor Lead]

The Omicron variant that started in a church in Incheon is spreading fast to local communities. A middle school student who got infected with the new variant at the church service took it to Ansan, Gyeonggi-do Province. Twelve new Omicron cases were reported today, bringing the total so far to 36. Meanwhile, medical capacity in the capital region has surpassed its limit.

[Pkg]

Twelve more cases of the Omicron variant were reported in South Korea in a single day, bringing the total to 36. The transmission that started with a church pastor couple and their Uzbek acquaintance has already spread beyond the city limit. A middle school student from Ansan, Gyeonggi-do Province and a foreigner in her 70s from Chungcheongbuk-do Province were found to have been infected. Three international students from three different universities in Seoul tested positive for COVID-19 after visiting the church. Authorities confirmed they are infected with the Omicron variant. The overwhelming opinion is that it’s only a matter of time before the Omicron variant spreads to other local communities.

[Soundbite] Kim Boo-kyum(Prime Minister) : "We still don’t know much about what it is, but it’s clear that it’s more contagious. We must stop it from spreading further in local communities."

Roughly 1,300 people are being tested for the new variant and half of them have come in close contact with individuals already confirmed to have the Omicron variant.

[Soundbite] Park Young-joon(Central Disease Control HQs) : "More cases will be reported because the virus is still in dormancy in those who came in close contact with the infected."

Serious cases are still numbering above 700 for 7 straight days, pushing the ratio of medical capacity and confirmed cases in the capital region to over 100% for the first time.

[Soundbite] Lee Sang-won(Central Disease Control HQs) : "It means the limit of response capacity for serious cases in the capital region is reached."

Authorities believe the Omicron variant is likely to become dominant in Korea. The government will focus on providing at-home treatment for fully vaccinated patients and responding to the new variant, while encouraging booster vaccinations until the year’s end.