COVID-19 RISK LEVEL DROPPED TO “LOW”

[Anchor Lead]

The weekly COVID-19 risk level has dropped to “low” for all parts of the country for the first time since the risk evaluation scheme was introduced. However many variables remain that can affect the outbreak situation. For one, there is monkeypox whose cases are spreading in Europe and North America. Korean health authorities have also stepped up monitoring.

[Pkg]

A waiting room at a COVID-19 test center is empty even at the usual peak of right after lunch time. Just last month, people lined up in rows to get tested at this hour.

[Soundbite] Yoon Yeong-don(Test Center Employee) : "It was normal to administer over 2,200 tests during the peak. These days, the average is about 500-600. Tests are done within 30 minutes now."

South Korea reported around 26-thousand new COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday midnight. The average tally per week had surpassed 300,000 in late March but the figure has steadily declined to the 20-thousand range last week. The weekly COVID-19 risk level, a comprehensive assessment on infections as well as medical capacity, has registered “low” for the capital region, non-capital region and also nationwide. A ‘low’ assessment for all three areas is the first since the risk level was first introduced last November. However, there are many factors that could trigger a virus resurgence in the summer including 18 additional cases of an Omicron subvariant.

[Soundbite] Lee Sang-won(Central Disease Control HQs) : "Risk factors include the inflow of new variants leading to a domestic spread and concern over breakthrough infections as 3rd vaccine shot effects wane over time."

Authorities will also step up monitoring of the monkeypox virus which is spreading in 19 countries including the UK, Portugal, Canada and the U.S. The government is trying to fend off any excessive anxiety while not ruling out a possible inflow into Korea especially with the increase of overseas travels. Monkeypox is known to have an incubation period of as long as 21 days. People showing suspected symptoms such as fever, headache and rash within 3 weeks of arriving in the country must alert the KDCA.