Prime Minister Kim: "COVID-19 Cases Hit Record High in Just One Day During Chuseok Holiday"

COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said on the 24th, "As if proving the transmissibility of the Delta variant, the number of confirmed cases surpassed the highest record ever in just one day (after the Chuseok holiday)."

On the same day, Prime Minister Kim presided over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting at the Government Seoul Office and said, "It is very important to manage quarantine measures until next week when the impact of the large-scale movement during this holiday season will fully appear."

Prime Minister Kim said, "Quarantine authorities and local governments should thoroughly check the quarantine system, which may have been somewhat relaxed due to the holiday," and added, "I hope all efforts will be focused on quickly identifying confirmed cases through expanded diagnostic testing and strengthening epidemiological investigation systems." He also added, "Especially in local governments where confirmed cases have surged, I hope proactive quarantine reinforcement measures will be actively implemented."

Prime Minister Kim said, "The number of family gatherings, which was relaxed during the Chuseok period and allowed up to 8 people, will return to the original limit starting today," and urged, "Each ministry and local government should intensively inspect the implementation of on-site quarantine rules such as restrictions on private gatherings and management of entry logs in their respective areas."

He also expressed concern, saying, "The speed of vaccination must be increased again," and added, "Among citizens aged 18 and over, about 5.77 million who have not yet received the first dose started making reservations a week ago, but the reservation rate was only 2.7% as of the day before." He appealed, "For the sake of family, friends, and our community, please actively participate in vaccination even now."