Decline in Korea’s Covid-19 cases lets up amid largest foreign inflows since March

The declining pace of Covid-19 cases has slowed somewhat in Korea due partly to the largest inflows from abroad since March, quarantine officials said Friday.

Among the 7,227 newly confirmed cases on Friday, 111 cases – 71 Koreans and 40 foreigners -- came from abroad, an increase of 19 from the previous day and the highest figure since March.

The overseas cases are the largest in 116 days since Feb. 28, when the number of imported cases exceeded 110. The largest number of imported cases came from Asia (45), followed by Europe (35), North America and South America (23), and Oceania (eight). The number of imported cases has been increasing since the government lifted the mandatory quarantine of newly arriving Covid-19 patients and the expansion of international flights on June 8.

Friday's tally is down from 7,497 the previous day and Wednesday's 8,992. Daily infection numbers have declined steadily to stay below 10,000 since June 10, after hitting more than 620,000 in mid-March. However, health authorities have predicted the slowing pace in the Omicron spread has reached its limit, and the virus curve will maintain the current level for some time.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 10 more Covid-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 24,498. The fatality rate stood at 0.13 percent. As of Thursday, 44.62 million, or 87 percent of the population, had completed the full two-dose vaccinations.

About 4.3 million people, or 8.4 percent of the population, had gotten their second booster shots, according to the KDCA.

Meanwhile, the government will provide a special allowance to Covid-19 patients during self-isolation only to households whose income is below the base median income threshold from July 11. The government has provided financial support to all people regardless of income level.

The criterion for determining whether or not the standard median income of a person is less than 100 percent will be the health insurance premium paid by the patient at the time of quarantine.

"As the virus situation remains stable, the government intends to maintain the measures sustainably by improving the financial support system related to the Covid-19 isolation policy," Interior Minister Lee Sang-min said at a daily Covid-19 meeting.

At the same time, the government has decided to reduce the scope of subsidies for paid vacation pay.

The government pays vacation expenses of 45,000 won ($35) per day for up to five days to all small and medium-sized enterprises that provide paid leave to workers quarantined and hospitalized due to Covid-19.

From now on, it will provide such subsidies to only firms with 30 workers or fewer, which account for about 75 percent of all SMEs.

Son Young-rae, a senior health ministry official, stressed that only a few companies would be excluded from the support. "We will continue to promote and recommend that companies with 30 or more employees continue to provide paid leave," Son said.

The government will also gradually reduce its subsidies for Covid-19 treatment.

Under the new rules, self-isolated patients have to pay the cost of home treatment, such as prescription costs for over-the-counter medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs.

However, the government will continue to subsidize the cost of high-priced drugs, including Paxlovid, other oral medications or injections, and inpatient treatment costs.

"This is an unavoidable adjustment to make the fiscal situation a little more stable and to increase the efficiency of financial support in preparation for a possible resurgence of the virus in the second half," Son said.