<Anchor>



Yesterday (22nd), the number of new confirmed cases of Corona 19 fell to 2,600, but the number of patients with severe cases also broke a record high. In the metropolitan area, where the number of confirmed cases is concentrated, the shortage of hospital beds is getting serious.



Reporter Park Soo-jin reports.



<Reporter> There



were 2,699 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 yesterday.



Excluding 14 imported cases, 2,685 cases were domestically infected.



There were 2,058 cases in the metropolitan area and 627 cases in non-metropolitan areas.



The number of severe severe cases, which had been in the 500 range, also occurred yesterday, with 549 cases again, breaking the all-time high.



The death toll increased by 30, so far 3,328 people have lost their lives to Corona 19.



In the metropolitan area where the number of confirmed cases is concentrated, the utilization rate of critically ill beds is 83.3%, which is still a tight situation.



A total of 836 patients were waiting for more than one day to be assigned to a hospital bed, and about half, or 404, were aged 70 or older.



As the number of breakthrough infections increases, especially among the elderly, and the number of cases exacerbated by double seriousness increases, the quarantine authorities are speeding up the booster vaccination.



Advance reservations for additional vaccinations for 8.19 million people over 50, including those in their 50s and older, with the vaccination interval shortened to 4 to 5 months, started yesterday.



Additional advance reservations for vaccinations for 12-17 year olds will also start from 8pm tonight.



For children aged 12 to 17 years, the primary vaccination rate was 39.8% and the completion rate was only 13.5%.



The quarantine authorities are considering applying the quarantine pass to teenagers under the age of 18.



[Jung Eun-kyung/Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: As the epidemic increases, the number of confirmed cases in children and adolescents is also increasing, and there is a lot of need to review the application of the quarantine pass (for them).]



Corona 19 Vaccine 1 The primary inoculation rate is 82.4%, and the primary inoculation completion rate is 79%.