The government expects the number of COVID-19 patients in the nation to reach 350-thousand per week by the end of this month.

In a radio interview on Monday, Hong Jung-ik, director of infectious disease policy at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA), said although the number of COVID-19 patients is currently half of what was reported a year ago, the figure could hit 350-thousand per week by the end of August, based on trends over the past two summers. 

Hong added that the government has begun supplying additional COVID-19 treatment drugs secured last week through consultations with pharmaceutical companies, and will provide enough to pharmacies nationwide by the end of August.

Despite the recent resurgence in virus cases, health authorities do not plan to raise the COVID-19 crisis level, but are set to prepare measures for the upcoming Chuseok holiday by emphasizing infection prevention guidelines and observing the infection trend.

The KDCA official further stressed that the severity or fatality rate of the current dominant COVID variant, KP.3, is no different from the previous subvariants of Omicron, adding that it's currently in a manageable stage.