A Resurgence of Cases Without Social Distancing During Chuseok... 93,981 Confirmed Cases

93,831 Confirmed Cases on the 14th... 8,451 More Than Last Week
Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters: "Passing the Peak, Steady Decline Expected for Now"
Highway Screening Clinics to Operate Only Until the 15th

Kim Seong-ho, the 2nd Chief Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Director of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, Ministry of the Interior and Safety), is delivering opening remarks while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting for COVID-19 response held on the morning of the 14th at the Central Disaster and Safety Situation Room in Government Sejong 2 Complex, Sejong City.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] As the Chuseok holiday arrives without social distancing for the first time in three years, face-to-face contact has increased, causing a rebound in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases.

On the 14th, Kim Seong-ho, the 2nd General Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) and Director of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, stated at the CDSCH meeting, "The number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases recorded 93,981, a slight increase from last week (85,529)," adding, "The number of confirmed cases is temporarily rebounding due to increased movement and face-to-face contact during the Chuseok holiday."

According to the CDSCH, the infection reproduction number, which can predict future trends, was 0.87 last week, marking three consecutive weeks below 1. As of the 14th, the number of critically ill patients is 507, and the number of deaths is 60. The intensive care unit bed occupancy rate is 30.2%, and the overall hospital bed occupancy rate is 31.7%.

Coordinator Kim said, "The current scale of the outbreak has passed its peak phase and is expected to steadily decrease for the time being. The bed occupancy rate is also showing a stable downward trend."

In preparation for Chuseok holiday quarantine, the government installed temporary screening clinics at highway rest areas and plans to operate them until the 15th. During the holiday period, the average daily movement and traffic volume increased by 15.8% and 15.7%, respectively, compared to the previous year. From the 7th to the 12th, a total of approximately 4,400 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests were conducted at nine temporary screening clinics on highways, with 11.3% testing positive.

The CDSCH urged people to participate in testing before returning to daily life after the holiday and to minimize personal contact. Coordinator Kim emphasized, "Now that the holiday is over, stricter adherence to quarantine rules is necessary. Symptomatic individuals should promptly participate in testing before returning to daily routines," and added, "For a certain period, refrain from entering crowded, enclosed, and close-contact multi-use facilities, and school-aged children should check their health status daily."