South Korea Prepares for Peak of COVID-19 Wave Expected by Late August

South Korea’s health authorities have predicted that the ongoing COVID-19 wave will likely reach its peak by the end of August, following the summer vacation season. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced plans on Tuesday to bolster measures to curb the virus’s spread as cases continue to rise across the country.

According to Hong Jeong-il, an official from the KDCA, the increase in contacts among people after summer vacations, coupled with poor ventilation due to air conditioning, is expected to contribute to the surge in infections. “The uptrend could peak around the end of August,” Hong stated, adding that these factors could significantly impact the infection trend.

To combat the expected surge, the KDCA has outlined a series of enhanced response measures. These include expanding the agency’s virus response team to improve monitoring of the domestic and international COVID-19 situation, analyzing infection trends, and ensuring the adequate management of medical supplies and treatments.

Additionally, the South Korean government plans to establish a consultative body consisting of experts to regularly assess COVID-19 trends and anti-virus measures. The first meeting of this advisory group is scheduled for Wednesday.

In a proactive step to protect vulnerable populations, South Korea will resume its vaccination campaign in October, with high-risk groups set to receive vaccines at no cost.

The nation has seen a significant rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. According to the KDCA, hospitalizations due to the virus at 220 major medical institutions across the country increased sixfold over the past month, reaching 861 cases in the first week of August.

This current wave is largely driven by the KP.3 subvariant of Omicron, which accounted for 45.5 percent of COVID-19 cases in South Korea last month. The KP.3 variant is also contributing to the rise in cases during the summer wave observed in other parts of the world.

As South Korea braces for the anticipated peak, health authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant, adhere to preventive measures, and cooperate with vaccination efforts to mitigate the impact of this latest COVID-19 surge.