A total of 103 cases including 85 local and 18 imported
Scattered cluster infections in Seoul and Gyeonggi
Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun: "Swift quarantine measures equivalent to raising to level 2"
[Asia Economy Reporters Kwangho Lee and Heungsun Kim] The number of new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea exceeded 100 for the first time in 20 days, triggering an emergency response from the government and health authorities. Sporadic cluster infections have recently surged mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area, and with the end of the summer vacation season and the upcoming Liberation Day holiday on the 17th, during which large-scale rallies are planned in downtown Seoul, concerns about a rapid increase in confirmed cases have grown. The health authorities are currently considering raising the social distancing level from Level 1 to Level 2 only in the metropolitan area.
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), as of midnight on the 14th, the number of new domestic COVID-19 cases was 103. Of these, 85 were locally transmitted and 18 were imported cases. This marks a return to triple digits about three weeks after 113 cases were reported on July 25. At that time, the temporary increase was due to imported cases from Korean construction workers returning from Iraq and cluster infections from a Russian ship docking at Busan Port. The record of over 100 cases due to local transmission is effectively the first since April 1 (101 cases), more than four months ago.
This surge is a result of recent cluster infections in the metropolitan area, including churches and high schools in Gyeonggi Province, Namdaemun Market shops and nursing hospitals in Seoul, and a fast-food chain (Lotteria). The number of new locally transmitted cases was 38 in Gyeonggi, 31 in Seoul, and 3 in Incheon, totaling 72 in the metropolitan area.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is speaking while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 response at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong City on the morning of the 14th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun held an emergency meeting of related ministers to respond to cluster infections in the metropolitan area following the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the same day. He said, "The spread of domestic infections, which had been somewhat stabilizing, is now showing serious signs," and added, "If the situation worsens further, we cannot rule out raising social distancing to Level 2 for the metropolitan area."
Social distancing is currently divided into Levels 1 to 3 and is adjusted according to the COVID-19 outbreak situation. One of the criteria for Level 1 is fewer than 50 new daily local cases. Daily new cases between 50 and 100 correspond to Level 2, and the number has exceeded 50 for three consecutive days since the 12th. In the past two weeks (July 31 to August 13), a total of 501 cases were reported, with the proportion of 'unknown infection route' or 'dark figure patients' at 13.4% (67 cases), far exceeding the Level 1 criterion of less than 5%.
If social distancing is raised to Level 2, school attendance will be reduced, and indoor gatherings of more than 50 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people will be prohibited. Private institutions and companies will be advised to limit the number of workers through flexible or remote work arrangements.
Prime Minister Chung said, "In Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, where COVID-19 cases are rapidly increasing, prompt consideration of quarantine measures equivalent to raising social distancing to Level 2 is necessary."
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