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Today (23rd), the number of new corona patients is expected to increase significantly and reach 500,000.

The cumulative number of confirmed cases has also exceeded 10 million.

That means 1 in 5 people are infected.



Reporter Park Chan-beom reports.



<Reporter> The



number of new COVID-19 cases exceeded 470,000 by 9 pm last night.



The number of new cases reported yesterday is expected to reach 500,000, which is expected to be the second largest in history after the 620,000 recorded on the 17th.



The doubling phenomenon, in which the number of confirmed cases doubles every week, started from the last week of January.



The detection rate of Omicron in the previous week was over half, and it soared to 92% in the first week of February.



During this period, the cumulative number of confirmed cases exceeded 1 million.



Since then, the rate of spread has been much faster.



That's an increase of 9 million people in a month and a half.



Some experts say that one in five people has been infected, so it has met the criteria for stopping the epidemic.



Because a certain percentage of society members have been infected and acquired antibodies, the number of new infections will decrease.



However, the government said that 20% of the population is not an absolute criterion for reducing the epidemic.



[Sohn Young-rae/Chairman of Social Strategy Team at Central Accident Resolving Headquarters: 20% is not an absolute line, so the peak depends on how well each country has established immunity through vaccination and how the current quarantine system is responding. The timing of entry may vary.]



Experts say it is dangerous to rely solely on natural immunity.



[Choi Jae-wook/Professor of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine: Blocking infection, blocking epidemics, and preventing serious illness through herd immunity is only half the price.

There is a positive effect (to reduce the epidemic), but another mutated virus is coming out, or it has no effect in the long run.]



Even if the epidemic is on the decline, the elderly, etc. Thorough management of high-risk groups is of utmost importance.