South Korean government launches emergency investigation into resurgence of coronavirus cases... All efforts to secure treatments and vaccines

In response to the spread of COVID-19, the South Korean government has reviewed the "COVID-19 Virus Outbreak Trends and Response Plans."
On the afternoon of the 14th, Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong announced that he would meet with Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Commissioner Ji Young-mi, Director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Bang Ki-seong, and Lee Jong-il.
He held a joint meeting of relevant ministries and agencies with Minister of Education Ju-ho, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, Director-General of the Food and Drug Safety Agency Oh Yoo-kyung, and Director-General of the National Fire Agency Heo Seok-gon. The meeting began at 5:10 p.m.
The meeting lasted for about 40 minutes and focused on the spread of COVID-19 virus infections and ways to secure treatments, self-testing kits, and vaccines.
At the meeting, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infections this year has been increasing again since the end of June.
The number of hospitalized patients in the first two weeks of August (1,357 people) has already reached the highest number this year, surpassing the number of hospitalized patients in February of this year.
In response to this, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has decided to take measures to prepare for an increase in COVID-19 patients, such as encouraging citizens to take measures according to the severity of their illness.
The number of patients with COVID-19 infections visiting emergency rooms in recent days has risen from 2,240 in June to 11,000 in July.
The number of patients with mild and moderate symptoms increased to 627. In response, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has prepared measures to disperse patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19 infection visiting emergency rooms and will continue to monitor the situation.
In addition, the government plans to secure hospital beds in public hospitals that were previously operated as specialized COVID-19 hospitals, and to form a cooperative body to hospitalize COVID-19 patients.
In preparation for the resurgence of COVID-19 infections, which are currently on the rise, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency is planning to require ambulances to wear protective gear thoroughly when dispatched and disinfect ambulances and equipment before and after transport.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that they are taking measures such as providing support to high-risk groups for the safe transport of COVID-19 patients.
The government announced that the use of infectious disease treatment drugs has increased to a level exceeding that of last summer, and that it is working to secure additional treatment drugs.
The secured treatments will be distributed starting this week.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) explained that it expects to have sufficient supplies of treatment drugs with a surplus in place at all pharmacies.
The government is currently reviewing the supply situation and reviewing the entire production and distribution process. Domestic self-testing kit manufacturers have once again expanded production of the kits since the end of July, increasing supply.