ISTANBUL

South Korea announced on Friday an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations as the country faces a summertime resurgence of the virus.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, the number of people admitted to hospitals nationwide for COVID-19 has reached 861 in the first week of August, marking the highest level since early February.

This number represents a high rise from 148 hospitalizations in the second week of July, 226 in the third week, and 475 in the fourth week, Seoul-based Yonhap news agency reported.

The data reveals that 65.2% of the inpatients this month are aged 65 and older, with another 18.1% aged between 50 and 64.

In response to the surge, the government has decided to intensify its monitoring of senior citizens and other high-risk groups.

South Korea has reported approximately 34.4 million confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began in 2019, according to Statista data.