Recently, the number of COVID-19 patients is increasing worldwide. In South Korea, the number of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 is also rising, prompting health authorities to closely monitor the situation.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 21st, the number of domestic patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 in week 19 of this year (May 4-10) is 146, an increase from the previous week (115). From January to week 19 of this year, the cumulative number of COVID-19 hospitalized patients has been reported as 2,222.
Recently, the number of COVID-19 patients is rising, particularly in China and Southeast Asia. According to the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the positivity rate for COVID-19 increased from 7.5% at the end of March to 16.2% in early May. The Hong Kong South China Morning Post reported that Hong Kong health authorities stated there have been 30 deaths related to COVID-19 in the last four weeks.
In Singapore, between April 27 and May 3, new confirmed cases have risen by 28% compared to the previous week, totaling about 14,200. The Thailand Department of Disease Control reported that COVID-19 cases between the 11th and 17th reached 30,030, more than double compared to the previous week.
According to the World Health Organization and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the virus currently circulating worldwide is LP.8.1. This is a sub-variant derived from the KP.3 variant that circulated domestically last summer. Fortunately, its risk level is not significantly higher compared to existing variants.
Lee Jae-gap, a professor of infectious diseases at Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, noted, "LP.8.1 is a descendant of the KP series virus that circulated last year" and added, "The academic community also reports that its risk level is not significantly higher than that of existing variants." According to the Disease Control Agency, the World Health Organization also predicts that the severity of this variant will not significantly increase compared to previously circulating variants.
Experts explained that as COVID-19 becomes endemic, it occurs year-round, alternating between outbreaks and lulls. After the winter outbreak, cases diminish until around May or June and then increase again in July or August.
Professor Lee Jae-gap stated, "When the overall immunity of the public decreases—when the vaccination preventive effects wane—the introduction of a new variant can lead to larger outbreaks" and added, "After 1-2 months of an outbreak, immunity increases again, leading to a decrease, and this pattern repeats every 3-4 months as immunity falls again."
Health authorities and experts emphasized that COVID-19 vaccination is crucial to prepare for COVID-19 outbreaks. Professor Lee Jae-gap noted, "Currently, the COVID-19 vaccination rate in South Korea is low, so there is a possibility of COVID-19 spreading this summer," stressing that vaccination is vital for infection prevention.
Health authorities have extended the COVID-19 vaccination for seniors aged 65 and older, and immunocompromised individuals by two months until June 30. The current COVID-19 vaccine is developed targeting the omicron variant JN.1. A vaccine specifically targeting LP.8.1 has not yet been released. However, existing vaccines are reported to remain effective against the current variants.
A Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency official stated, "Although a vaccine targeting LP.8.1 has not yet been developed, it has been reported that JN.1 vaccines also provide preventive effects against the currently circulating variant virus" and added, "It has been analyzed that the proportion of COVID-19 patients in China who have not been vaccinated with the JN.1 vaccine is higher."
In addition to vaccination, managing indoor ventilation is also important. As the weather gets warmer, using air conditioning can make it easy to forget about ventilation. In closed indoor spaces, respiratory droplets, including viruses, can remain airborne for extended periods, increasing the potential for transmission. Air conditioner airflow can also spread droplets further. In facilities where ventilation is difficult, wearing masks is recommended.
A Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency official remarked, "With increased domestic and international travel, combined with prolonged use of air conditioning due to heat waves, insufficient ventilation and larger temperature differences between indoors and outdoors are causing a surge in COVID-19 cases during the summer."