With the quick spread of the Omicron variant straining the nation’s emergency care system, the health authorities should brace for a spike in the number of mild Covid-19 patients, an expert said.
Professor Oh Myoung-don of infectious disease at the Seoul National University Hospital, who leads the nation’s central clinical committee for new infectious disease control, appeared on the SNUH’s YouTube channel on Sunday and explained the Covid-19 virus variants -- particularly Delta and Omicron.
Oh said Omicron had a lower virulence, or the virus’ ability to damage the host, than Delta. However, as Covid-19 vaccines prevent people from progressing to severe disease, the Omicron wave will cause massive Covid-19 cases with mild symptoms, he said.
“A Canadian study showed that hospitalization rate caused by Omicron infection was 0.51 percent, about one-third of 1.56 percent of Delta. In addition, the probability of progressing to severe disease was 0.06 percent in Omicron infection, one-seventh of 0.42 percent in Delta,” Oh said. “The death rate of Delta is 0.12 percent, whereas that of Omicron is 0.03 percent.”
He cited the U.K. as an example where hospitalization and emergency room access for Omicron-infected patients were half that of those infected with Delta.
“Considering that hospitalization and mortality rates in Omicron infections are half that of Delta infections, it is clear that Omicron's virulence has become weaker.”
According to Oh, Omicron evades the human’s immunity and neutralizes antibody immunity to the spike protein, but cell immunity to other proteins (antigens) is maintained relatively well.
He noted that getting a booster shot is particularly effective in preventing progression to severe disease.
“As Korea has a high vaccination rate, there will be a large number of Covid-19 cases with mild symptoms in the Omicron wave,” Oh added.
Despite the forecast for a surge in mild cases, the current quarantine system is too focused on critical care, he went on to say.
Since November, Korea has been concentrating healthcare resources on the hospitalization of Covid-19 pneumonia patients and ICU care.
All state-run medical institutions focused on Covid-19 critical patients, and the shortage of healthcare workers was filled those at private hospitals, Oh said.
However, he said the nation needs to respond to the Omicron variant and prepare for numerous mild cases.
He warned that even though Omicron causes mild symptoms, infections in emergency patients such as pregnant women or those with myocardial infarction could push up demand for Omicron infection treatment to a level higher than demand for emergency care.
Local statistics show that Korea has 23,000 baby deliveries and 10,000 myocardial infarction cases monthly.
“If even 10 percent of them gets infected with Omicron, hospitals have to treat 2,300 pregnant women and 1,000 myocardial infarction patients a month,” Oh said. “In addition, there are patients with fractures after falling on icy roads in winter, and those with cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage.”
Oh predicted that the demand for daily emergency care will be much higher than that of patients with Omicron infection-related pneumonia.
He emphasized that the authorities should ensure that emergency patients with Covid-19 get urgent treatment and surgery without delay.