[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The number of new COVID-19 cases remained in the high 600s on the 10th.
Jeon Hae-cheol, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH), stated in the opening remarks of the CDSCH meeting that "the number of confirmed cases today is again in the high 600s, marking four consecutive days in the 600 to 700 range."
Jeon added, "The 'infection reproduction number,' an indicator showing how many people one infected person transmits the virus to, rose from 1.07 last week to 1.11 this week, increasing concerns about further spread," and noted, "This situation is very similar to early December when the third wave began in earnest."
The government plans to respond to quarantine activities by having ministers from each department conduct on-site inspections of their respective facilities starting this month, and will also form a joint quarantine inspection team with local governments to focus on vulnerable areas.
Jeon explained, "We have formed a joint quarantine inspection team involving seven central ministries and 17 metropolitan and provincial governments, and starting next week, we will conduct focused inspections on compliance with quarantine rules in nine vulnerable sectors including academies, religious facilities, and sports facilities," adding, "Strict legal measures such as claims for damages under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act will be taken against violations identified during inspections."
Regarding vaccination, he added, "To accelerate the vaccination pace, in addition to the 71 existing vaccination centers, 105 regional vaccination centers will be additionally established and operated within next week," and "To prepare for the expansion of vaccination targets, contracts have been completed with about 14,000 medical institutions and entrusted medical institutions to ensure fast and convenient vaccination near residents' homes."
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