Health Authorities: "Social Distancing Level 3 Decision Expected This Weekend... Cases Must Decrease This Week"

Son Young-rae "It must drop to a manageable level"
Regarding concerns of 2,000 daily confirmed cases, "I mentioned the worst-case scenario"

As the novel coronavirus infection originating from Seoul and the metropolitan area spreads, social distancing has been raised to level 2.5. On the first day of implementation, the 30th, a closure notice posted at a gym in Seoul city. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] As the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) originating from Seoul and the metropolitan area continues, social distancing measures have been strengthened to level 2.5 only in the metropolitan area. The quarantine authorities stated, "We will make a decision (on whether to raise to level 3) closer to the weekend."

Son Young-rae, head of the Strategic Planning Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Welfare), said in an interview with CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 31st, "It is important to see whether the rate of new cases clearly shows a decreasing trend this week or not. It is also crucial whether the number falls to a manageable level," adding this.

Son explained, "Since the occurrence of more than 200 cases on the 16th, the number of patients has remained above 200 for nearly two weeks. The number of cases with unknown infection routes has significantly increased, causing the proportion of patients managed within known infection chains to decrease."

He continued, "In particular, due to insufficient testing related to Sarang Jeil Church and the August 15 Liberation Day rally, many confirmed cases were missed," and said, "Only about 60% of Sarang Jeil Church and 20% of the August 15 rally participants were tested, so it is believed that latent confirmed cases have spread into the community, which is likely causing new cluster infections to emerge simultaneously."

Regarding Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, expressing concern that confirmed cases could surge to between 800 and 2,000 this week, Son said, "She mentioned the worst-case scenario."

Son added, "We are continuously running internal simulation models. For example, we predict how many people one infected person can transmit the virus to within a few days using various models. The scenario Director Jung mentioned is the worst-case model among these predictive simulations."

Regarding the medical community's collective suspension of work and strike in opposition to government policies such as expanding medical school quotas and establishing public medical schools, he emphasized, "(The government) intends to halt the policy implementation that the Korean Medical Association is objecting to."

He added, "We will cooperate in responding to COVID-19, and after this crisis ends, we will hold consultations to keep all possibilities open and proceed after discussions. We promised to review the implementation together with the chairpersons of the National Assembly standing committees, the medical community, and many senior medical professionals from public and private university hospitals."

He continued, "What we are seriously concerned about now is that emergency rooms and intensive care units are refusing treatment. These two places admit critically ill patients whose lives are at risk," and added, "Therefore, we are greatly concerned about the possibility of disruptions in medical care."

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