COVID-19 Resurgence Feared, but Health Agency Predicts Wave Half the Size of Last Year's

South Korean health authorities anticipate that the current wave of COVID-19 infections will be significantly less severe than the outbreak experienced last year. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) projects that the peak of the current wave will occur between late August and late September, with the overall scale of infections expected to be less than half of last year's figures.

This forecast comes amid rising concerns fueled by a notable increase in COVID-19 cases in China, where new infections reportedly surged 6.6-fold in July compared to June. Domestically, the virus detection rate in testing centers has climbed, and the number of hospitalized patients has been steadily increasing for four consecutive weeks. The KDCA noted that the virus detection rate reached 9.1% in the week of August 9-15, a significant jump from previous weeks, and hospital admissions have more than doubled in three weeks.

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If the current trend continues, the scale of the summer wave is projected to be between about 11% and 48% of last year's. The peak is predicted to be from late August to late September.

Despite these upward trends, health officials maintain that a large-scale resurgence akin to the pandemic's peak is unlikely. They are closely monitoring the situation, including the detection rates and hospitalization numbers. The KDCA has pledged to provide swift and transparent updates to the public regarding any significant developments. While the overall outlook is less severe than in previous years, authorities are urging caution, especially for the elderly and individuals with chronic illnesses, who remain at higher risk of developing severe symptoms.

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We will promptly and transparently disclose if there is anything to inform the public about.