<Anchor> There were



7,175 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 840 patients with severe symptoms, all recording the highest ever. The government has decided to increase the number of administrative personnel in charge of home treatment, and to expand the home treatment management organization to the hospital level.



First news, this is reporter Park Soo-jin.



<Reporter> There were



7,175 new confirmed cases of Corona 19 yesterday (7th), the highest number since the outbreak of Corona 19 in Korea.



The number of confirmed cases increased by more than 2,000 in one day from 4,954 the previous day, and it is a 40% increase compared to 5,122 on the same day last week.



The number of patients with severe severe cases also reached 840, an increase of 66 from the previous day, again recording the highest number ever.



There were 63 deaths.



The government explained that "35% of all confirmed cases and 84% of severely severely ill patients over the age of 60".



The shortage of beds is also serious, and in the metropolitan area, where 80% of all confirmed cases are concentrated, there are 860 people waiting for more than one day to be assigned.



The government has decided to further strengthen the at-home treatment system along with active expansion of hospital beds.



[Kim Bu-gyeom / Prime Minister: We will further strengthen the home treatment support system by expanding administrative support personnel and expanding managed medical institutions not only to hospitals but also to clinics.] The



quarantine period has been extended to reduce the inconvenience of families living in joint isolation due to the expansion of home treatment

.

It has been shortened from the current ten days to one week, and an additional living subsidy will be provided in proportion to the number of household members.



Meanwhile, the number of patients infected with Omicron, a new mutation of COVID-19, is 38, two more than the previous day.



Both additional infections were community transmission.



The quarantine authorities are additionally investigating suspected cases of Omicron, including three confirmed cases of foreign students in the Seoul National University dormitory.



Meanwhile, the primary vaccination rate for the COVID-19 vaccine is 83.3%, and the secondary vaccination rate is 80.7%.



The tertiary vaccination rate, which means booster vaccination, was counted at 8.8%.