Seoul: South Korean Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum called for better hospital bed management on Friday, as the country's number of dangerously ill Covid-19 patients continued to rise despite no signs of a drop in daily infections.

Kim reportedly stated that the government's goal will be to immediately build hospital beds and support medical resources needed at hospitals. "There are concerns that if we cannot solve this crisis, our journey back to normalcy may be halted for a while," Kim said during a meeting with the heads of 22 tertiary hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area.

"Our hospital bed management system will be improved." The Prime Minister's plea comes amid growing concerns about critical care bed capacity in the capital, which accounts for nearly 80% of daily Covid-19 cases in South Korea. 78.2 percent of intensive care beds in the capital area were in use as of Thursday, with Seoul accounting for 80.9 percent.

The number of critically ill patients has risen in recent weeks, with the latest tally topping 500, after the country launched its "living with Covid-19" scheme last month, which allows people to gradually return to regular life by easing social isolation. Serious patients will be transferred to available intensive care beds in either the capital or non-capital districts, according to Kim. He also requested that hospitals shift intensive care virus patients to regular recovery rooms as soon as their health improves.

Brazilian Govt cuts its prediction for GDP growth in 2021 to 5.1 pc

Pakistan to make rapists impotence, bill passed in Parliament

Read Pakistan's Foreign Minister's statement on 'Hindutva terrorist' by Congress-PAK