Park Neung-hoo "This Week at a Crossroads of Outbreak Spread"... Caution Urged on Calls for Raising to Level 3 (Update)

Average Daily New Confirmed Cases of 949 in the Past Week
313 Cases Aged 60 and Over... Over 70% in the Capital Area
"No Persuasive Reason to Raise to Level 3 Since Level 2.5 Has No Effect"

Park Neung-hoo, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), is announcing the results of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 response at the Government Seoul Office Building on the afternoon of the 20th.<이미지:Yonhap News>

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The average daily number of domestically transmitted confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) over the past week was recorded at 949. This is an increase of nearly 300 cases from the previous week (December 6?12), which had 662 cases. The number of patients aged 60 and over, considered a high-risk group, reached an average of 313 per day, increasing by nearly 100 during the same period.

Despite consecutive increases in social distancing levels, the spread has not decreased but rather increased. The health authorities attribute this to aggressive diagnostic testing. Regarding raising the social distancing level from 2.5 in the metropolitan area and level 2 nationwide to level 3, they stated that since the ripple effects on society and the economy would be significant, they are refining the detailed guidelines but consider it a matter to approach cautiously.

At a briefing on the 20th, Park Neung-hoo, the first head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said, "While diagnostic testing has been greatly expanded, the number of patients has not rapidly increased beyond 1,000 per day, nor has it decreased, which is a dangerous situation. We consider this week, including the next few days, as the most critical period at the turning point of the epidemic spread."

By setting up about 130 temporary screening clinics in the metropolitan area to allow anyone to get tested, efforts to find hidden patients in the community have yielded some results. However, indicators that gauge risk are all unfavorable, with 30% of patients having unknown infection routes and 34 new cluster infections reported.

On the 20th, when 1,097 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, marking the highest number since the outbreak in the country, citizens waiting to be tested visited a temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The government once again explained its cautious stance on further raising social distancing levels. Head Park said, "Many people do not fully understand the meaning of level 3 social distancing," adding, "It includes measures that partially halt not only the service industry but also the manufacturing sector. The economic impact is significant, and if it can be avoided, it must be avoided. We are assuming such a state."

He continued, "To implement that level, it is essential for the public to thoroughly understand and agree on what level 3 entails. Mechanical arguments that stronger social distancing is needed and that we must move to level 3 simply because the number of confirmed cases has increased significantly are not very persuasive."

Regarding the quarantine rules under level 3 social distancing, adjustments are being made considering the current epidemic situation. Measures such as restricting inter-regional movement or lockdowns like those in foreign countries are not being considered. Even if level 3 is activated, daily life activities such as purchasing essential goods are being reviewed to be maintained, Park added.

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