Health authorities worry over a surge in COVID-19 cases

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) forecasted that the number of daily confirmed cases may soar to as many as 330,000 in early September. This is the highest figure since the start of the sixth wave.

The KDCA released forecasts by eight institutions which were commissioned by the government. One of those predicted that daily cases will surge to as many as 332,000 by Sept. 7, which is 130,000 cases more compared to the initial projection made by the health authority, which was approximately 200,000. Another institution also anticipated that there will be as many as 281,000 cases at the end of August.

The names of these institutions were not disclosed, as they might be targeted by public criticism in the event that their predictions turn out to be wrong, and they may be reluctant to provide estimates to the government. “The figure of 330,000 is the worst outcome of the worst scenario, and it is likely that the actual number of new infections will be approximately 200,000,” Lee Sang-won, head of epidemiological investigation analysis at the KDCA.

A surge in critical cases continues. The number of critical patients who are hospitalized as of Tuesday was 563, the highest since the sixth wave started. The KDCA predicted that there will be as many as 900 critical patients in early September, and daily fatalities could rise to as many as 140. Those who have caught the virus twice is also increasing. 6.11 percent of the confirmed cases in the first week of August was those who became infected again.


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