The number of infectious disease management institutions in the country has nearly halved over the past year amid concerns about the emergence of new infectious diseases after COVID-19.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the National Medical Center on Sunday, the nation had 159 infectious disease management institutions at the end of June last year, down 42-point-six percent from the third quarter of 2023.

As the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, the figure has steadily decreased from 411 in the first quarter of 2022 to 283 in the third quarter of the year and 277 in the third quarter of 2023.

The regional disparity in medical resources for managing infectious diseases was notably significant.

There are 139 infectious disease specialists nationwide within infectious disease management institutions, with more than half concentrated in Seoul and its surrounding areas, totaling 79.

North Gyeongsang Province has only four specialists and the fewest critical care facilities for infectious disease patients.