The head of an expert advisory panel on the government’s infectious disease response has warned of a possible surge in COVID-19 cases among high-risk groups after the Chuseok holiday and called for the establishment of a rapid diagnosis and treatment system.

In a Friday briefing at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, Jung Ki-suck said that case numbers have typically spiked after holidays. He specifically expressed his concern on the possibility that infections among high-risk groups may shoot up to 20-thousand a day.

Jung said that at least over 500 medical facilities, including public health centers and neighborhood clinics, are needed to handle such a spike, adding that they should be located evenly nationwide.

The expert also called for doctors to prescribe more COVID-19 oral pills for high-risk groups, with the current script rate standing at around 20 percent.

Also noting a rise in seasonal flu patients this year, he said that medical workers must effectively discern between flu patients and COVID-19 patients despite overlapping symptoms.

He also asked for cooperation from medical institutions by staying open during the Chuseok holiday next month.