Finally Surpassing '100,000 New Confirmed Cases'... New Social Distancing Adjustment Plan Announced Today

As of 9 PM Yesterday, Interim Count Already 100,980
Despite Concerns Over Rising Severe Cases, '6-Person Limit and 10 PM Curfew' Likely

On the 16th, when 90,443 new COVID-19 cases were reported, citizens visiting the screening clinic set up at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul are waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Amid the widespread Omicron variant, more than 100,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported in a single day for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The government will announce adjustments to social distancing measures today.

According to local governments on the 18th, a total of 100,980 people tested positive nationwide across 17 cities and provinces from midnight to 9 p.m. the previous day. This marks the first time in about three weeks since the number of cases entered the 10,000 range on the 26th of last month that the daily cases have exceeded 100,000.

Including additional confirmed cases recorded from 9 p.m. to midnight the previous day, the number of new cases announced today is expected to be even higher.

Meanwhile, the government will announce a new social distancing adjustment plan to be applied from the 21st after a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters this morning.

The current distancing rules limit private gatherings to six people and restrict operating hours of multi-use facilities such as restaurants to 9 p.m.

Initially, easing measures to allow gatherings of up to eight people and extending operating hours to 10 p.m. were strongly considered. However, considering the recent rapid increase in cases, the government is reportedly reviewing a plan to maintain the private gathering limit at six people while extending operating hours by one hour to 10 p.m.

The application period for the new distancing measures is likely to be set until the 13th of next month, three weeks later, taking into account the presidential election.

At a meeting of the Policy Advisory Committee for Daily Recovery held the previous day, voices calling for easing distancing measures to consider the damage to self-employed and small business owners were evenly matched by opinions from quarantine and medical experts advocating to maintain the current measures.

Considering that the number of confirmed cases surpassed 100,000 earlier than expected, there is also a possibility that the government may revert to maintaining the current measures. This would be the case if they judge that easing restrictions is inappropriate given the symbolic figure of '100,000 cases.'

The government has indicated the possibility of easing restrictions by stating, "If the number of critically ill patients and deaths remains stable, we will make a 'courageous decision' at any time," but has recently taken a cautious stance as quarantine indicators have worsened.

The number of critically ill patients had remained in the 200s since the end of last month but has been steadily increasing recently. As of midnight the previous day, there were 389 critically ill patients, approaching 400. However, the government maintains that the medical response system remains stable, as it is prepared to handle 1,500 to 2,000 critically ill patients.

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, explained at a back briefing the previous day, "Compared to the Delta variant outbreak, the increase in critically ill patients has significantly slowed," adding, "We have sufficiently expanded intensive care units and semi-intensive care units to maintain a stable operating rate."