441 New COVID-19 Cases from the Capital Region... Consideration for Step 3 Elevation

"Spread Must Be Prevented by Lockdown"
Infectious Disease Experts Concerned About Delay

Due to a confirmed case of COVID-19 among reporters covering the National Assembly, the main building of the National Assembly was closed on the 27th, and the entrance was firmly locked. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] On the 27th, 441 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported, marking the highest number since the Shincheonji Church of Jesus incident. While some experts and quarantine authorities have suggested the need for stronger measures such as raising social distancing to level 3, there are opposing views that caution is necessary since such measures are close to a lockdown and considered an 'extreme remedy.'

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of midnight on that day, the number of new confirmed cases was 441 (including 7 imported cases), the highest since the large-scale outbreak centered around the Shincheonji Daegu Church in February and March. This is the highest daily count during the recent wave mainly in the metropolitan area. The spread is occurring nationwide. Although 313 cases are from the metropolitan area, sporadic cluster infections continue to emerge across the country, including Gwangju (39 cases), Gangwon (14 cases), Chungnam (15 cases), Jeonnam (13 cases), and Daegu (12 cases), indicating that transmission chains have not been broken.

The quarantine authorities have decided to observe the trend of new cases and the epidemic situation until this week before deciding whether to raise the social distancing level. This is because it is necessary to comprehensively consider not only the number of cases but also the nature of the current outbreak and the healthcare system. Since level 3 social distancing has a much greater social impact than level 2, caution is unavoidable.

Among experts, opinions are divided between those advocating for stronger quarantine measures and those suggesting the need to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing level 2 measures. Kim Dong-hyun, chairman of the Korean Epidemiological Society and professor of preventive medicine at Hallym University, a member of the Living Quarantine Committee, said, "We need to raise the level to 3 and respond proactively," adding, "Since the healthcare system's capacity has been exceeded, (level 3 measures) will reduce the shock to the economy and society in the mid to long term."

On the other hand, Oh Myung-don, chairman of the Central Clinical Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and professor of infectious diseases at Seoul National University Hospital, said, "Since complete eradication is impossible, it is difficult to see high-intensity lockdowns as effective measures in the mid to long term."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.