SEOUL, South Korea—South Korea has reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases, approaching a daily record set last month just a day after officials cautiously expressed hope that infections may slow.
The 2,025 cases reported Wednesday marked the 57th consecutive day of at least 1,000 cases, and there are concerns transmissions could worsen as the country approaches its biggest holiday of the year.
Officials are wrestling with a slow vaccine rollout and erosion in public vigilance despite the toughest social distancing rules short of a lockdown in Seoul and other large population centers, where private social gatherings of three or more people are banned after 6 p.m.
There are concerns the virus could spread more quickly during this month’s Chuseok holidays, the Korean version of Thanksgiving where millions of people usually travel across the country to meet relatives.
Other developments:
Australia state’s first Covid deaths this year
MELBOURNE, Australia—Australia’s Victoria state is reporting its first Covid-19 deaths this year, and the government concedes that the infection numbers of the Delta variant will continue to rise.
The state reported two deaths Wednesday, the first since last October 18. Neighboring New South Wales reported four deaths, bringing the death toll from a Delta variant outbreak that started in June to 102.
Victoria and New South Wales are both locked down and are now counting on getting their residents vaccinated to contain the outbreak.
With 120 new infections reported Wednesday, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said: “We will not see these case numbers go down. They are going to go up.”
New South Wales reported 1,116 infections in the latest 24-hour period.
Georgia notes rapid spread among children ATLANTA—More Georgians are being diagnosed with coronavirus infections than ever before. The rolling seven-day average for positive tests rose to 9,641 per day Tuesday, topping the previous high of 9,635 set back on January 11.
Officials say the rapid spread among children is a new aspect of the pandemic. Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey said Monday that cases have skyrocketed since schools opened in early August.
Toomey says that “we’re seeing a significant number of cases among school-aged children, and the number of cases has nearly quadrupled over the last couple of weeks, with the sharpest increase—the highest number of cases—in children aged 11 to 17.”
She says public health officials tracked more than 170 outbreaks statewide last week, the highest number since the pandemic began. More than half were in schools.
Hawaii hospital operates at 120 percent of capacity
HILO, Hawaii—The largest hospital on the Big Island of Hawaii is operating at about 120 percent of capacity amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports that Hilo Medical Center has 38 patients being treated for the disease that can be caused by the coronavirus, including 10 in the intensive care unit.
A hospital spokeswoman says that as the largest hospital on the island, it can’t divert patients.
She says it has a plan for everyone who comes for care. Last week, the hospital opened a 16-bed overflow unit in its extended care facility.
The hospital says it’s constantly assessing its campus for locations in which to care for patients.
Alaska hospitals in ‘very serious crisis’
ANCHORAGE, Alaska—An increase in hospitalizations of Covid-19 patients is further straining Alaska’s hospital system. One health official calls it a “very serious crisis” and worries what the next few weeks will bring.
The state health department reported that hospitals had a record 152 Covid-19 patients Tuesday, surpassing previous highs in December.
Jared Kosin of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association told the Anchorage Daily News that the latest increase in coronavirus infections has shown little sign of slowing.
As of Tuesday, 771 of the state’s 1,200 hospital beds were filled. Out of 174 intensive care beds, all but 26 were taken.
Delta variant rages in Nebraska
OMAHA, Neb.—The number of coronavirus cases in Nebraska has nearly doubled over the past two weeks with the highly contagious Delta variant.
Nebraska reported 5,006 new cases for the week ending Friday, according to an Omaha World-Herald analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s up from 3,755 the previous week and nearly double the 2,668 cases recorded the week before.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Nebraska has risen in the past two weeks from 190 new cases per day on August 15 to 715 on Sunday. AP