Demand for Covid self-test kits rises on recent resurge of cases in Korea

Covid self-test kits are on sale at CU convenience store in Seoul. [Photo by Kim Ho-young]

South Korean convenience stores have seen their sales of self-tests for Covid-19 significantly jump in the wake of the ongoing surge of the disease.

According to the statistics released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on Wednesday, the weekly cases incidence between May and June ranged from 110,000 to 120,000. However, it increased to around 150,000 in the first week of July and 180,000 in the second week before soaring to approximately 250,000 in the third week.

Daily cases in the week of July 18 to 22 amounted to more than 40,000, a record high since this January.

The surge has been evident in the sales of self Covid tests sold at convenience stores.

CU, a local convenience store, found that the sales of the disease testing in the week of July 18 to 24 rose by 34.8 percent from the previous week.

The sales dropped by 6 percent in May and by 12.9 percent in June. However, the latest surge in cases has lifted the demand for self-tests.

The sales of masks showed a sign of recovery following the past months of decline. They rose by 13.5 percent in the same period.

According to GS25, a South Korean convenience store chain operated by GS Retail Co., sales of self-tests and masks increased by 39.3 percent and 14.1 percent, respectively, during the period.

The sales data of self-tests and masks are referred to as early indicators of fluctuations in Covid cases.