"Over 500 New COVID-19 Cases Today... Social Distancing Urgently Needed" (Update)

Park Neung-hoo, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, is presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on the response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) held at the annex of the Government Seoul Office Building. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] On the 26th, the number of new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea exceeded 500. This is the highest number of confirmed cases since the cluster infections occurred in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions centered around the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in February and March.

Park Neung-hoo, the first head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH), stated in his opening remarks at the CDSCH meeting held at the Government Seoul Office that morning, "Today, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has exceeded 500," adding, "It has been 18 days since the number surpassed 100 on November 8, and about eight months since it recorded 518 on March 6."

He said, "Recent cases show that more than 100 confirmed cases emerged from a chain infection that started at an apartment sauna, and more than 50 cases of cluster infections occurred within a day or two at an aerobics academy and a military training center."

He added, "In particular, the spread of infection among young people is serious, with the proportion of infected individuals in their 20s and 30s increasing to 28% within a month," and "There are also 19 young critical patients requiring ventilators."

Chief Park appealed, "It has become a situation where it would not be surprising for anyone, regardless of age or gender, to be infected anywhere in our daily lives," emphasizing, "At the point where the third wave is increasing in scale and speed, more thorough social distancing is urgently needed."