The government has reaffirmed its plan to secure enough hospital beds to respond to a spike in COVID-19 infections that may climb as high as 200-thousand daily.

In a COVID-19 response meeting on Friday, health and welfare minister Cho Kyoo-hong stressed thoroughness in medical responses amid a rise in critically ill patients among senior citizens.

According to health authorities, the reproduction rate for COVID-19 reached one-point-10 in the third week of November, surpassing one for the fifth consecutive week, indicating that the spread of infections is on the upswing.

The average number of seriously or critically ill patients last week came to 409, up 16 percent from a week ago, with nine out of ten patients aged over 60.

Under the circumstances, the minister said the government will secure more beds for seriously and critically ill patients at qualified hospitals to respond to a rise in daily infections up to 200-thousand.

The minister said the government will also expand treatment at hospitals during the night and over holidays and improve access to medical services for patients recovering at home through information sharing between local governments and medical institutions.