<Anchor> The number of



new confirmed cases rose slightly to 120,000 from a week ago, but the death toll was the highest in four months.

As the number of patients with severe cases continues to increase, the government has started to secure additional beds.

From today (20th), the operation of the on-duty hospital for the treatment of critically ill patients in the metropolitan area started.



Reporter Hyung-woo Hyung.



<Reporter> The number of



new confirmed cases has decreased for three consecutive days after reaching 180,000 on the 17th.



Compared to a week ago, 4,800 people, an increase of 3.9%.



The increase has slowed, but quarantine authorities predicted that the epidemic would reach the peak of 200,000 people per day by the end of this month.



The daily death toll was 84, the highest in 113 days.



The number of patients with severe gastritis also increased by 19 from the previous day, bringing the number to 511.



The utilization rates of critically-severe beds and semi-severe beds have risen to around half.



The quarantine authorities have secured 1,900 additional designated beds, and plan to operate 12,000 general beds.



[Lee Ki-il / 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare: We have secured 7,245 designated beds and have the medical capacity to respond immediately even if 216,000 confirmed cases occur.]



From today, the hospital on duty will be operated in the metropolitan area.



The plan is to ensure that beds are quickly assigned to patients with underlying medical conditions, mothers, infants, etc., on holidays when there is a concern about a medical vacuum.



In the upper-level general hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area, three hospitals will take turns preparing six beds and placing them first for patients with severe coronavirus.

[Park Hyang/Central Accident Remediation Headquarters Head of Prevention and Prevention: If we have a hospital



on duty, our choices will be much more concentrated and will surely be assigned in a shorter time (they can be assigned.)]



Therefore, regular patients cannot visit the hospital and receive an assignment.



(Video editing: Hwang Ji-young)