Experts say S. Korea is facing second wave and could return to strict social distancing
- 4 years ago
방역당국 "국내 코로나19 2∼3월 1차 유행후 현재 2차 유행중"
Health authorities here warn South Korea may well be going through a 'second wave' of Covid-19 despite recording only 17 new cases today which is the lowest in about a month.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Seoul advises if the capital city sees 30 or more cases for three days in a row, it will be back to stricter social distancing.
Choi Jeong-yoon reports.
South Korea has reported more than 300 cases of COVID-19 over the past week and health authorities are gearing up to prepare for a possible second wave.
Although only 17 cases were reported on Monday, the Central Disease Control Headquarters says the country is in the middle of a second wave of the pandemic.
According to the authorities, the first wave broke out in February and March, followed by a sharp decline in numbers.
But COVID-19 is on the rise again with several cluster infections which started during the long vacation period in May.
"It's hard to say a specific standard to call things an outbreak. But as community based transmissions are occurring fast and repetitively, we expect a second wave. So we are preparing for a long fight and we are coming up with countermeasures for autumn and winter when the situation could worsen."
To prevent the medical system from collapsing... the city of Seoul announced that it would go back to strict social distancing if the number of newly confirmed cases in the city exceeds 30 for three consecutive days, or the rate of intensive care beds in use reaches 70 percent. So far, as of Monday some 53 percent of a total of 913 beds are in use.
Seoul will also strengthen pre-emptive testing and plan to work with other local governments to secure enough medical care. The Mayor of Seoul says the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country could reach 800 a day by mid-July. From the end of April to mid-June, the average number of people infected by one patient has risen dramatically to 1-point-79. It had been as low as zero-point-five before the series of cluster infections in May.
Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News.
Health authorities here warn South Korea may well be going through a 'second wave' of Covid-19 despite recording only 17 new cases today which is the lowest in about a month.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Seoul advises if the capital city sees 30 or more cases for three days in a row, it will be back to stricter social distancing.
Choi Jeong-yoon reports.
South Korea has reported more than 300 cases of COVID-19 over the past week and health authorities are gearing up to prepare for a possible second wave.
Although only 17 cases were reported on Monday, the Central Disease Control Headquarters says the country is in the middle of a second wave of the pandemic.
According to the authorities, the first wave broke out in February and March, followed by a sharp decline in numbers.
But COVID-19 is on the rise again with several cluster infections which started during the long vacation period in May.
"It's hard to say a specific standard to call things an outbreak. But as community based transmissions are occurring fast and repetitively, we expect a second wave. So we are preparing for a long fight and we are coming up with countermeasures for autumn and winter when the situation could worsen."
To prevent the medical system from collapsing... the city of Seoul announced that it would go back to strict social distancing if the number of newly confirmed cases in the city exceeds 30 for three consecutive days, or the rate of intensive care beds in use reaches 70 percent. So far, as of Monday some 53 percent of a total of 913 beds are in use.
Seoul will also strengthen pre-emptive testing and plan to work with other local governments to secure enough medical care. The Mayor of Seoul says the number of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country could reach 800 a day by mid-July. From the end of April to mid-June, the average number of people infected by one patient has risen dramatically to 1-point-79. It had been as low as zero-point-five before the series of cluster infections in May.
Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News.