South Korea on Tuesday announced 40 deaths from COVID-19, as daily coronavirus cases rose to more than 1,000 again and the government moved to get more vaccines.
The daily death toll – the highest since the country first reported a coronavirus outbreak in late January – comes amid the third wave of diseases that have forced authorities to tighten social pace measures , among what Yonhap news agency called a “rapid medical system emergency”.
The country added an additional 1,046 cases, including 1,030 local infections, increasing the total number of cases to 58,725, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Daily cases have been hovering around the 1,000 mark since mid-November and nearly 80 percent of Tuesday’s cases were reported in Seoul and surrounding areas. The total death toll from COVID-19 in South Korea stands at 859.
On Sunday, the KDCA extended the usual social distance measures in Seoul and the surrounding area until January 3. A decision will be made on whether to move to the maximum level of restrictions in the next few days.
The government has been willing to take tougher measures because of the impact on small business and has instead taken a more focused approach.
Empty noodle shop in Myeongdong, usually one of the busiest shopping districts in Seoul [Yonhap via EPA]
Gatherings of more than four have been banned in larger Seoul since last Wednesday and in the rest of the country since last Thursday. Ski resorts and resorts have also been closed to avoid crowds during the year-end holidays.
The continued growth in cases has raised concerns about the shortage of hospital beds and treatment for the most ill, prompting health authorities to issue a rare order to private hospitals to obtain beds with more intensive care for COVID- patients. 19. The number of serious or severe COVID-19 patients stood at 330 Tuesday, 35 more than the previous day, according to the KDCA.
Moderna deal
The third wave has also added to pressure on the government over their vaccine procurement strategy, which some critics say has been too slow with major immunization programs underway around early in the United States and Europe.
On Tuesday, the headquarters announced that South Korea would receive enough doses from Moderna to vaccinate 20 million people starting in the second quarter of next year.
The agreement was reached in a video conference between President Moon Jae-in and Moderna President Stephane Bancel, which took place on Monday.
South Korea earlier said it expects to receive enough doses to reach 46 million people or more than 85 percent of the population.
Last week, they announced contracts with Janssen and Pfizer at Johnson & Johnson to get more vaccines.
It is also participating in the World Health Organization ‘s COVAX program and is purchasing the AstraZeneca vaccine which is expected to receive regulatory approval in the United Kingdom in the next few days.
The first jabs in South Korea, however, are not expected to take place in February, with medical staff and former residents the first to receive them.
U.S. military soldier delivers COVID-19 vaccines at Allgood Army Community Hospital located inside base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea [Spc. Erin Conway/US Army/DVIDS/Handout via Reuters]
Meanwhile, the U.S. Forces of Korea (USFK), which includes about 28,500 members of the American military in addition to their families and thousands of other personnel, has given the first vaccines to their “facial health workers and first responders,” a USFK official said.
U.S. armed forces are using Moderna vaccines, which were sent to three weapons handling facilities across U.S. bases in South Korea on Monday. South Korea is one of four overseas locations in the Department of Defence’s phased deployment plan.