"19,629 new infections" on the 1st day of "unmasking indoors"... Severe patients hit 300 first time in 74 days = Korea

In South Korea, on the first day, January 30th, when the mandatory wearing of indoor masks was lifted, the number of new infections with the COVID-19 virus increased by 7,379 compared to the previous week. However, this appears to be due to an increase in the number of diagnostic tests, such as last weekend, rather than an increase due to the removal of masks indoors.

"As of midnight on the 31st, there were 19,629 new infections in a single day," the Central Disease Control Headquarters said. The figure announced today is 7,379 more than the 12,250 reported a week earlier, the 24th and 20,550 less than the 40,179 reported two weeks earlier, the 17th.

Of the new cases announced on the day, 31 were imported from overseas, an increase of 9 from the previous day. Of the cases of influx from overseas, 14 (45.1%) were immigrants from China.

The number of severely ill patients stood at 387, marking the first time in 74 days since November 18th, 2018 (365 cases) that the number was above the 300 mark. There were 24 new deaths, six fewer than the previous day's 30.

On January 30th, the disease control authorities lifted the requirement to wear masks indoors, except for public transportation, medical institutions, pharmacies, and vulnerable facilities. At a press conference the same day, Jeong Ki-seok, head of the COVID-19 response team and chairman of the National Infectious Disease Crisis Response Advisory Committee, said, "By around May of this year, indoor masks will be removed everywhere."

However, the WHO (World Health Organization) has decided to maintain the "PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern) Declaration" regarding COVID-19.