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This fourth wave is spreading mainly among young people who have not been vaccinated. However, the number of severe cases and deaths among young unvaccinated infected people is also increasing.
Reporter Nam Joo-hyun reports.
<Reporter> The
fatality rate, which refers to the ratio of deaths among confirmed COVID-19 cases, fell to 0.24% last month.
[Lee Sang-won / Head of Epidemiological Investigation and Analysis Team (the day before): The low rate of aggravation even in the 4th epidemic stage is the result of active vaccination by seniors over 60 years old… .]
However, the number of patients with gastritis is increasing rapidly.
The number of severe severe cases, which was around 150, exceeded 160 a week after the confirmed cases entered the 1,000 range, and as of 00:00 yesterday, there were 214, the highest number in the fourth wave.
A week ago, the proportion of young patients in their 20s and 40s among all patients with severe gastritis exceeded 20%.
The difference between the elderly and the young is striking.
For those over 60 years of age, both the severity of the disease and the total number of severe cases and deaths decreased, but for those under the age of 60, the severity rate was similar to the low 1% range and the number increased.
Concerns about the shortage of beds are also growing.
There is room for intensive care beds, but all semi-intensive care beds in some areas, including Incheon, are full.
In some local life treatment centers, the utilization rate is close to 90%.
[Lee Ki-il / Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters 1st Controller: There are cases where 8 local governments have not yet expanded their own living treatment centers. I'm begging you to open it quickly and take care of the mildly ill... .]
Vaccination is the surest way to fight delta mutations and prevent severe progression, with vaccination completion rates in single digits for all but those in their 30s, 70s and 80s and older.