Government to Discuss and Decide on Social Distancing Levels on the 27th
"Quarantine and Medical Response Capacity - Effectiveness of Special Quarantine Measures, Important Criteria for Judgment"
On the 25th, a citizen is getting tested at a temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza in Jung-gu. On the same day, the number of new COVID-19 cases reached a record high of 1,241. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@
View original image[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Je-hoon] The government will hold a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on the 27th to discuss whether to adjust the social distancing levels in response to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters' quarantine team, said at a regular briefing on the 25th regarding questions about raising social distancing to level 3, "Since the current measures of level 2.5 in the metropolitan area and level 2 nationwide will end on the 28th, the issue of level 3 will be discussed around the 27th, and the results will be separately announced."
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the number of new confirmed cases as of midnight that day was 1,241, the highest since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed on January 20. Authorities explained that this was a temporary phenomenon due to the inclusion of additional confirmed cases (288) from the Dongbu Detention Center cluster infection, but the average daily confirmed cases have remained around 900 to 1,000, showing no clear effect from the level 2.5 measures applied since the 14th.
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The government plans to adjust the distancing levels considering quarantine and medical response capabilities. Son Young-rae, head of the Strategic Planning Team, said, "A very important criterion will be whether the pattern of patient occurrence changes and reaches a level that exceeds quarantine and medical response capacities," adding, "The effectiveness of the ongoing year-end and New Year special quarantine measures is also an important factor. We ask all citizens to refrain from contact and meetings to help turn this precarious situation into a declining phase where the spread slows down."
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