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Today (23rd), the number of new corona cases is expected to exceed 160,000.

This is an all-time record.

However, the government is paying more attention to the number of fatalities than the number of confirmed cases.

We believe that our medical system will be able to handle this spread, and we have put forward the position that the current situation is 'at the beginning of transition to endemic disease'.



Reporter Park Chan-geun reports.



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As of 9 pm last night, there were 158,000 new confirmed cases.



This is the highest number ever, 60,000 more people than the same time period the previous day.



If the midnight count is added, the final number of new confirmed cases to be announced today is expected to reach 160,000.



It seems that the number of confirmed cases has risen sharply as the weekend effect with fewer tests disappears.



Despite the pandemic, the quarantine authorities evaluated that the current corona virus is in the initial stage of transitioning to an endemic disease.



The severity of the Omicron mutation in Korea is 0.38% and the fatality rate is 0.18%. 



It's a quarter of the delta mutation, and slightly higher than the seasonal flu.



If the Omicron mutation maintains such a low fatality rate, it can be managed like any other infectious disease.



[Park Hyang/Central Accident Control Headquarters Head of Prevention and Prevention: This will be the beginning stage of the transition to an endemic management system.

If the epidemic can be managed stably, eventually, Omicron will be able to transition to the same management system as other infectious diseases.] If



the epidemic peaks and turns into a decline in the next month, we plan to adjust the distance and quarantine pass as well.



Home therapy is approaching 500,000 people.



There are about 69,000 intensive care groups centered on the elderly and those with underlying diseases, and the government said it can manage up to 210,000 people.



We also streamlined the bed assignment process.



Even if there is no isolation bed in the emergency room to which the confirmed person was transferred, he or she can be admitted directly to a general isolation bed.



There are currently 82 beds for pregnant women who have been confirmed to give birth, and an additional 200 will be prepared this month.