<Anchor> What
is more worrying about the disruption in the supply of vaccines is that the spread of COVID-19 continues. Today (10th), the number of new confirmed cases is expected to be around 1,400, and the number of confirmed cases is unusual despite the decrease in the number of tests over the weekend. Starting today, Busan will raise its social distancing to 4 levels.
This is reporter Jeong Ban-seok.
<Reporter> The
number of new confirmed cases as of 9 pm last night was 1,384, down by 31 from the same time the day before.
As of 00:00 today, when the daily counting ends, the number of new confirmed cases is expected to be around 1,400.
Although it decreased compared to weekdays due to the decrease in the number of inspections on holidays, it recorded the highest level on a daily basis for three consecutive days.
The number of more than 1,000 confirmed cases has continued for the 35th day, and the number of patients in the metropolitan area has decreased slightly in the past week, but the spread continues with a slight increase in non-metropolitan areas.
In particular, in Busan, which will be upgraded to stage 4 from today, a new cluster infection occurred at the traditional market in Suyeong-gu, and the number of confirmed patients at the Gijang-gun nursing hospital increased.
Among those who completed vaccinations at nursing hospitals, the number of breakthrough infections increased to 41, and as expected, the delta mutation was confirmed.
[Park Young-joon / Head of Epidemiological Investigation Team, Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters: High age, relatively low immune formation due to underlying diseases, the effect of delta mutations, and prolonged exposure in an enclosed environment (there were many break-through infections)]
The quarantine authorities judged that a third booster vaccination is also necessary for the high-risk group of nursing hospitals.
However, among those who completed vaccination, the estimated number of breakthrough infections was about 1,500, or 0.02%.
He also emphasized that even if a breakthrough infection occurs, more than 80% of the vaccine can be prevented from progressing to severe disease.