South Korea reports 1st Omicron related death; 2 nonagenarians died a week ago

South Korea reported the first case of deaths related to new COVID-19 variant Omicron, Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday. According to the local media reports, the two men, who were in their 90s, died last Monday and Wednesday respectively.

Both tested positive for COVID-19 at a senior care hospital in the city at an earlier date. While speaking to the news agency, Health authorities in Gwangju confirmed two deceased coronavirus patients in the city have posthumously tested positive for the omicron variant. Health authorities are looking into the exact cause of the deaths.

It is worth mentioning the country's daily COVID-19 cases stayed below 4,000 for the second straight day Monday as the government invoked strict measures to curb the spread of the highly-infectious disease. 

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the nation has added at least 3,129 new fresh Coronavirus cases, taking the total caseload to 642,207. The country has also reported 36 COVID related deaths in the past 24 hours.

Among the total cases reported on Monday, it includes 111 more omicron variant infections. With the latest health bulletin, the total cases of Omicron stood at 1,318. Earlier on December 31, Friday, the current restrictions such as a four-person limit on private gatherings and a 9 p.m. curfew on restaurants and cafes will continue until January 16.

South Korea approves of Pfizer's Paxlovid antiviral pill

While addressing a press conference on Friday, South Korea's Health Minister Kwon Deok-Cheol said that the number of critically or seriously ill patients remains above 1,000. On December 27, South Korea also approved the emergency use of Pfizer's oral drug.

The safety panel noted that the oral pill is needed to deal with the public health crisis. With the recent approval, Pfizer's Paxlovid became the first such pill to be used in the country. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, Paxlovid consists of Nirmatrelvir and Ritonavir tablets, co-packaged for oral, and can be used for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Coronavirus disease in adults and paediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms).

Further, the news agency informed that Remdesivir, which is developed by Gilead Sciences Inc., is the only drug that is used to treat critically-ill COVID patients in South Korea.

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