COVID-19 infections in South Korea are forecast to steadily rise later this month ahead of the summer vacation season, health authorities said Tuesday, urging older adults and vulnerable groups to receive vaccinations.
South Korea had seen a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in summer, and this year is expected to be similar to previous years, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Last year, the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients swelled to 1,444 in the third week of August, from 1,362 in the second week and 864 in the first week.
The number of COVID-19 patients had remained steady at around 100 for the past four weeks, but other nations, such as Thailand and Taiwan, have been suffering a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, which have been exacerbated by variants.
The country is offering free COVID-19 vaccination to those aged 65 or older, vulnerable to COVID-19 infections and high-risk groups by the end of this month.
As of Monday, around 47.5 percent of those aged 65 or more had received vaccination against COVID-19, according to the KDCA. (Yonhap)
