<Anchor> The
number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases is expected to reach 300,000 today (27th).
However, there is a high possibility that the number of patients with severe gastritis will increase further in the next two to three weeks.
Correspondent Kim Deok-hyun.
<Reporter>
Corona-designated pharmacy in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul.
Even on the weekend, I get calls in succession asking for medicines to eat.
[Did you test positive?
If you send your prescription to us...
.]
20 doses of MSD's Lagevrio, an oral treatment, came into this pharmacy the other day, but yesterday, the first day of prescription, there were no users.
[Kim Seung-tae / Pharmacist: (Laguebrio) There is no prescription.
Because the existing drug, Paxrovid, is still in stock...
.]
This is because the principle is to prescribe Pfizer's oral treatment, Paxrovid, which has a greater preventive effect.
In addition, the prescription of LaGebrio is limited to patients who are taking drugs that cannot be used with Paxrovid, such as hyperlipidemia drugs.
The quarantine authorities are planning to supply up to 20,000 Lagevrio's initial supply to 80,000 people to be introduced today to designated pharmacies nationwide in turn.
After the peak of the epidemic on the 17th, when there were 620,000 confirmed cases a day, the spread of the virus entered a gradual decline, but the government explains that the upward curve for patients with severe cases will continue for the time being.
[Lee Ki-il / Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters First Controller (Yesterday): The number of critically ill patients will increase for a while after the peak.
Assume that it occurs up to 2,000 people...
.]
However, the number of patients with severe cases of gastroenteritis is being maintained lower than initially expected due to the increase in prescriptions for oral medications, the quarantine authorities said.