New COVID-19 cases have been in triple digits for 4 days straight in S. Korea
- 4 years ago
코로나19 신규확진 연일 세 자릿수..."수도권 긴급대응반 운영"
Our top story this morning.
South Korea is continuing to see a second wave of cluster COVID-19 infections in Seoul and its surrounding areas.
The authorities are sharply tightening measures in a bid to control the spread.
They are also urging the public to maintain social distancing.
Kim Do-yeon reports.
For four days straight now, new COVID-19 cases have been in the triple digits in South Korea.
The majority of them popping up in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi-do Province.
As a result, the government has formed an emergency response unit for the capital area.
The unit will work to contain secondary spread throughout the area.
They have divided the region into 13 sectors and 45 teams with 190 members in total have been assigned to various roles.
In addition, health authorities will bring more hospital beds into the area in case beds start running low due to the rising number of cases.
"We consider the current situation the early stage of a big spread. If we don't contain it now, we're in an emergency situation where the increase could spiral out of control. It could wreak havoc on our medical system and cause huge economic damage."
The new cases are mostly linked with clusters from churches.
Infections linked to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul have topped 300,... and those linked to the Woori Jeil Church in Yongin have surpassed 120.
The authorities say churches that do not abide by quarantine rules and refuse to cooperate with tracing efforts will be dealt with aggressively .
In addition, clusters at a police station and a coffee shop are under close scrutiny.
In Seoul, Gyeonggi-do Province, and the city of Busan, schools will have to close yet again.
With the first day of the semester due to start nationwide, many were expecting them to return to a degree of normalcy as the number of new cases had been slowing down.
However, the recent surge and the elevation of the social distancing level from level 1 to level 2 means those plans are on ice for the time being.
Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News
Our top story this morning.
South Korea is continuing to see a second wave of cluster COVID-19 infections in Seoul and its surrounding areas.
The authorities are sharply tightening measures in a bid to control the spread.
They are also urging the public to maintain social distancing.
Kim Do-yeon reports.
For four days straight now, new COVID-19 cases have been in the triple digits in South Korea.
The majority of them popping up in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi-do Province.
As a result, the government has formed an emergency response unit for the capital area.
The unit will work to contain secondary spread throughout the area.
They have divided the region into 13 sectors and 45 teams with 190 members in total have been assigned to various roles.
In addition, health authorities will bring more hospital beds into the area in case beds start running low due to the rising number of cases.
"We consider the current situation the early stage of a big spread. If we don't contain it now, we're in an emergency situation where the increase could spiral out of control. It could wreak havoc on our medical system and cause huge economic damage."
The new cases are mostly linked with clusters from churches.
Infections linked to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul have topped 300,... and those linked to the Woori Jeil Church in Yongin have surpassed 120.
The authorities say churches that do not abide by quarantine rules and refuse to cooperate with tracing efforts will be dealt with aggressively .
In addition, clusters at a police station and a coffee shop are under close scrutiny.
In Seoul, Gyeonggi-do Province, and the city of Busan, schools will have to close yet again.
With the first day of the semester due to start nationwide, many were expecting them to return to a degree of normalcy as the number of new cases had been slowing down.
However, the recent surge and the elevation of the social distancing level from level 1 to level 2 means those plans are on ice for the time being.
Kim Do-yeon, Arirang News