South Korea reported more than 170,000 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, exceeding the government's initial forecasts by a significant margin. Despite the high number, officials attempted to calm some of the pandemic anxiety by emphasizing that the virus issue is under control.

As of Tuesday midnight, a total of 171,452 instances had been verified, bringing the overall number of confirmed cases to 2,329,182, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures.

The government said on Monday that the peak of the omicron variant spread is expected to occur anytime between late February and mid-March, with a peak population of between 140,000 and 270,000 people.

The outbreak occurred far more quickly than anticipated, with the infection rate reaching the recommended range only two days after the announcement.

In addition, the number of patients in critical condition increased to 512, an increase from the previous day's figure of 480. The figure had remained in the 200s for the majority of this month, but on Wednesday it crossed the 500 mark.

The majority of patients, with the exception of those in critical condition or at high risk, are receiving remote treatment at home. As of Wednesday, there are 521,294 patients who have chosen to remain at home.

Testing sites administered tests to a total of 550,208 persons on Tuesday. The percentage of those who were positive was 29.3 percent.

In spite of the fast spread of the virus, the authorities emphasized that there was no reason to fear because significant cases were being treated in a stable manner.

According to Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, "the omicron variant has reached its apex, but reforms in disease control and prevention policies, including social distancing, will be implemented once the government can demonstrate that it is able to stably manage deaths and patients in critical condition."

According to Kim, "we have the infrastructure in place to respond to the omicron variety." "While it is important to maintain public awareness of infectious disease control and prevention, and to ensure that associated policies are implemented appropriately, there is no need to worry simply because of the number of confirmed cases."

He went on to say that the government will station around 6,500 additional staff at public health clinics, which are already overburdened as a result of the at-home care responsibilities.

It was a similar response from the infectious disease control and prevention officials, who stated that the spread of omicron may be "a beneficial aspect."

According to Son Young-rae, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health and Welfare, a quick increase in confirmed cases might be worrisome in the near term since it can result in a greater number of patients in critical condition or even death, according to a news conference on Wednesday.

Although the omicron spread has a low fatality rate when compared to the delta, Son believes that it might be a good component in the restoration of normality in the long run.

"We have reached a point where we must reduce the number of patients in critical condition and mortality as much as possible through a stable medical care system," he explained.

In the meanwhile, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has licensed Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for use in children under the age of 18.

Despite the fact that the new authorisation includes the same Pfizer vaccine that is used for adults and those between the ages of 12 and 17, just one-third of the typical dose will be delivered to youngsters aged 5 to 11 under the new guidelines. According to the government, a second injection will be given 21 days after the first one was given.

Side effects detected in a clinical trial research presented by Pfizer Korea were generally minor or moderate, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare is expected to make an announcement about the specifics of the immunization program.