S.Korea turns to self-treatment as Omicron fuels COVID surge

A healthcare worker collects a swab sample from a woman to test for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at a temporary testing site set up at a railway station, in Seoul, South Korea, February 10, 2022. REUTERS/ Heo Ran

South Korea said on Thursday patients with mild coronavirus symptoms will have to treat themselves, aiming to free up medical resources for more serious cases, as new infections hit a fresh high because of the fast spreading Omicron variant.

South Korea has largely been a COVID-19 mitigation success story, thanks to aggressive testing and tracing, social distancing and mask wearing.