S. Korea sees over 100 mainly local COVID-19 cases for first time since March
- 4 years ago
코로나19 신규 확진 103명...사회적 거리두기 2단계 검토
Our top story this lunchtime...
South Korea reported 103 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
It's the first time the daily figure has exceeded the one-hundred mark since March, excluding one day three weeks ago,.. when imported cases surged due to the arrival of a chartered flight of South Korean construction workers from Iraq.
Local health authorities are on high alert.
The government is considering raising social distancing measures to 'Level 2' from the current 'Level 1' in Seoul and its surrounding areas.
Let's connect to our Choi Jeong-yoon who is on the line for us.
Jeong-yoon, give us more details about this concerning uptick in cases...
Mark, South Korea is seeing more and more small cluster infections, some with uncertain transmission routes, and they appear to be popping up across the country, not just in certain places.
But today's number, one-hundred-three new COVID-19 cases is a record high not seen in four and a half months.
Health authorities are also on high alert as 85 of the new cases were local transmissions.
Seventy-two came from the central region,...with Seoul seeing 32 cases alone, the highest in 5 months.
Most were linked to small gatherings in churches, schools, door-to-door sales and markets across the country.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said this morning that the government is considering raising social distancing measures one notch to 'Level 2' in the capital region.
That would mean going back to more closures of entertainment facilities and bans on large gatherings.
A three-day holiday weekend is about to start, and that means more people out and about... and potentially a further surge.
What kind of measures are health authorities and city governments taking in that regard?
Yes, Mark.
With the National Liberation Day on Saturday and the temporary holiday on Monday, many people are expected to be on the move.
The Seoul city government has handed down an administrative order banning assemblies scheduled for Saturday that would've seen some 220-thousand people come together.
Health authorities have advised churches to refrain from eating or chanting together, and asked for churchgoers to keep a safe distance apart and wear face masks.
They emphasized personal quarantine especially in central regions,... asking people to cancel unnecessary meetings and avoid going into confined and busy places such as bars and restaurants.
That's all I have for now. Back to you Mark.
Our top story this lunchtime...
South Korea reported 103 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.
It's the first time the daily figure has exceeded the one-hundred mark since March, excluding one day three weeks ago,.. when imported cases surged due to the arrival of a chartered flight of South Korean construction workers from Iraq.
Local health authorities are on high alert.
The government is considering raising social distancing measures to 'Level 2' from the current 'Level 1' in Seoul and its surrounding areas.
Let's connect to our Choi Jeong-yoon who is on the line for us.
Jeong-yoon, give us more details about this concerning uptick in cases...
Mark, South Korea is seeing more and more small cluster infections, some with uncertain transmission routes, and they appear to be popping up across the country, not just in certain places.
But today's number, one-hundred-three new COVID-19 cases is a record high not seen in four and a half months.
Health authorities are also on high alert as 85 of the new cases were local transmissions.
Seventy-two came from the central region,...with Seoul seeing 32 cases alone, the highest in 5 months.
Most were linked to small gatherings in churches, schools, door-to-door sales and markets across the country.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said this morning that the government is considering raising social distancing measures one notch to 'Level 2' in the capital region.
That would mean going back to more closures of entertainment facilities and bans on large gatherings.
A three-day holiday weekend is about to start, and that means more people out and about... and potentially a further surge.
What kind of measures are health authorities and city governments taking in that regard?
Yes, Mark.
With the National Liberation Day on Saturday and the temporary holiday on Monday, many people are expected to be on the move.
The Seoul city government has handed down an administrative order banning assemblies scheduled for Saturday that would've seen some 220-thousand people come together.
Health authorities have advised churches to refrain from eating or chanting together, and asked for churchgoers to keep a safe distance apart and wear face masks.
They emphasized personal quarantine especially in central regions,... asking people to cancel unnecessary meetings and avoid going into confined and busy places such as bars and restaurants.
That's all I have for now. Back to you Mark.