<Anchor> Although
everyone is uncomfortable and difficult, the government said that it is still necessary to stop daily life and reorganize medical response capabilities. In fact, the number of new coronavirus cases has exceeded 7,600, and the number of patients with severe cases continues to be close to 1,000. Quarantine authorities predicted that at this rate, there would be 10,000 confirmed cases within this month and 20,000 next month. Our medical system has reached its limit to prevent this kind of corona attack, so let's hear the story of the medical field at the forefront.
How many corona patients are in the hospital where reporters Park Soo-jin and Park are currently staying?
<Reporter> The
place I am in is Seoul Medical Center.
This hospital has been mainly treating patients with moderate to severe coronavirus for the past two years.
As of yesterday (15th), more than 20,000 people have been hospitalized in this hospital for the past two years.
Even now, more than 180 corona patients are hospitalized in this hospital alone.
Recently, as most of the patients with mild symptoms are treated at home, the number of patients who come to the hospital is increasing.
Let's hear the story of a nurse who has been treating corona patients for over a year.
[Kang Ji-hye/Nurse in charge of corona patients: The severity of the patients has definitely been higher than in the early days of the infectious disease (corona), and there are many cases where the symptoms are more or require fluid or drug treatment despite receiving the inoculation.]
<Anchor> In
this situation, there were even predictions that up to 10,000 confirmed people could come out within this month.
Isn't the shortage of medical personnel really serious?
<Reporter> This is a
serious situation.
Because the medical staff is in a very short situation right now, the fatigue of the medical staff remaining on the field is at an extreme.
For example, in this hospital where I am located, more than 20 doctors and more than 180 nurses have left the company this year alone.
The phenomenon of medical staff leaving the corona site due to medical staff burnout is becoming visible. Let's hear the story of the hospital.
[Seok-yeon Kim / Vice President of Medical Center Seoul Medical Center: According to the city’s policy, we will open an additional 80 beds starting this Friday.
I persuaded all occupations, from medical specialists, specialists, to nurses, and only managed to persuade me for a temporary one or two months by saying, 'Let's be patient together', 'This is the last time'...
.]
Today, 10 national university hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital, gathered and decided to secure 200 additional beds for critically ill patients as soon as possible.
(Video coverage: Jang Woon-seok, video editing: So Ji-hye)