1. As of 00:00 on the 22nd, there were 2,827 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, the highest recorded as of Sunday.
The infection reproduction index, which shows how many people a confirmed person infects, rose from 1.06 in the 4th week of October to 1.10 in the 3rd week of November.
2. The recent trend of patients with severe severe cases in the past 5 days has been 506 → 499 → 508 → 517 → 515 (yesterday).
The quarantine authorities said, "Up to last month, about 1.56% of the total confirmed cases were severe cases, and since the end of last month, this ratio has risen to 2.36%."
Yesterday there were 24 deaths per day.
3. As of 5 pm yesterday, the nationwide intensive care unit utilization rate was 69.5%.
The metropolitan area rose to 83.3% and Seoul to 84.9%.
According to the previous executive order, the quarantine authorities explained, "Additional beds have been secured since last weekend," and "402 beds will be prepared next week."
4. The number of patients waiting for hospitalization for more than one day due to lack of beds reached a record high of 907, an increase of 103 from yesterday.
The number of patients waiting more than four days was also counted.
By age, those in their 70s or older accounted for 51.4% (466 people).
5. The quarantine authorities evaluated the weekly COVID-19 risk as 'very high', the highest level in the metropolitan area as of the 14th to 20th, and 'medium' in the non-metropolitan area. From Jeonju (7th to 13th), both the metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas rose at the same time. Jung Eun-kyung, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "It is not at this stage at the moment, but it may need to be reviewed if the risk continues to worsen."
6. According to the Ministry of Education, an average of 375.9 students per day were confirmed in elementary, middle and high schools nationwide from the 15th to the 21st, the highest number ever. On the 17th, 502 people were confirmed, the highest number in a single day. Education authorities are planning to continue attending all schools in the metropolitan area, which started today, despite the increase in the number of confirmed cases.
7. As of 00:00 today, the primary vaccination rate for 12-17 year-olds in Korea was 39.8%, and the completion rate of vaccination was 13.5%. Quarantine authorities are taking additional advance reservations for vaccinations for 12-17 year-olds from tomorrow to December 31, considering the risk of infection among children and adolescents after school attendance. We will also announce this week whether the quarantine pass will be extended to teenagers as well.
8. Jeong Eun-kyung, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "There are many experts who point out that the validity period of the quarantine pass should be set in consideration of the fact that the effectiveness of the vaccine decreases over time and the number of breakthrough infections increases." “Overseas, there are cases where the validity period of about 6 to 9 months is specified, or additional vaccinations are linked to the quarantine pass like in Israel,” Chung explained.