Authorities to Announce 'Social Distancing' Adjustment Plan This Afternoon

'Maintaining Double-Digit Cases for Three Consecutive Days'... No Large-Scale Confirmed Cases Yet After Chuseok

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] The government will finalize and announce the adjustment plan for the 'social distancing' levels to be applied from next week this afternoon. The number of new COVID-19 cases following the Chuseok holiday (September 30 to October 4), considered a significant variable affecting the scale of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), has continued to show an 'unstable double-digit' count, drawing attention to what decision the authorities will make.

On the 7th, medical staff were busy working at the COVID-19 screening clinic set up at the Dongjak-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) on the 11th, the number of new confirmed cases over six days since the end of the Chuseok holiday on the 5th recorded 73 → 75 → 114 → 69 → 54 → 72. Except for one day when the daily new cases reached triple digits during the week following the holiday, the daily new cases have maintained an average of 50 to 70. There has been no large-scale outbreak that had been a major concern even before Chuseok.

However, the aftermath of existing cluster infections linked to medical institutions continues, and with new cluster infection cases emerging in military units, the quarantine authorities remain vigilant.

Related to 'Dana Hospital' in Dobong-gu, Seoul, 58 people had tested positive as of the afternoon of the previous day, and 49 confirmed cases were linked to 'Master Plus Hospital' in Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi Province. Additionally, 13 confirmed cases have emerged so far from the visiting injection case in Busan.

Following multiple confirmed cases (a cumulative 37) in a military unit in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, two confirmed cases occurred in another military unit in Yangju. The quarantine authorities are currently investigating the infection routes and connections between these two cases.

The fact that the number of tests conducted yesterday was less than 5,000 is also a cause for concern. The positivity rate, calculated as the number of confirmed cases relative to the number of tests, rose sharply to 1.62% yesterday from 0.47% the previous day. Although the number of tests was low, resulting in double-digit confirmed cases, considering the positivity rate, it is not possible to conclude that the 'trend of decreasing confirmed cases' is ongoing.

During the 'Chuseok Special Quarantine Period' (September 28 to October 11), key measures of Level 2 social distancing are in effect. Gatherings and meetings of more than 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors are prohibited, and high-risk facilities in the metropolitan area remain closed. The newly applied quarantine measures are expected to be decided in a way that enhances effectiveness by carefully considering the characteristics of each region, industry, and facility rather than uniform level adjustments.

At a regular briefing the previous day, Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Director of the CDCH, stated, "The adjustment of social distancing will be finalized at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting chaired by the Prime Minister tomorrow," adding, "Measures that reduce fatigue caused by prolonged distancing while being sustainable and more effective will be prepared and announced."

Furthermore, the government plans to prepare and implement a fundamental reform plan for social distancing by the end of this month or early next month, separate from the distancing levels to be applied from next week.