382 Confirmed Cases on Weekend... Risk of Third Wave Resurgence

Authorities Launch Special Quarantine Measures Starting This Week

As the third wave of COVID-19 continues in South Korea, medical staff are busy moving around at the temporary screening clinic at Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 28th. As of midnight that day, the number of new confirmed cases was recorded at 356. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The domestic COVID-19 prevention system has once again raised an alarm. Despite the 'weekend effect,' the daily number of new confirmed cases is approaching 400, and various indicators that gauge the resurgence of the outbreak are showing unstable signs. After maintaining the stance for over two months that it was difficult to determine whether the daily 300-400 cases were a temporary increase or a resurgence of the epidemic, the health authorities have now recognized it as a 'third wave resurgence' and have begun responding accordingly.

On the 15th, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by 382 from the previous day to 96,017. Among the new confirmed cases, 370 were locally transmitted and 12 were imported. Although the number of new cases, which had been in the high 400s for six consecutive days until the day before, dropped to the 300s, considering that the number of diagnostic tests conducted the previous day was only 33,701?about half of the weekday level?there is no room for complacency.

In particular, the fact that all major indicators, including the COVID-19 reproduction number, are worsening is a cause for concern. The reproduction number for the week ending on the 13th was 1.07, exceeding 1 for the first time in three weeks. This index, which indicates the transmission power of one confirmed case, means the epidemic spreads if it is 1.0 or higher. The average daily number of elderly patients aged 60 and above, classified as a high-risk group, reached 114 during this period, an increase of more than 30 compared to the previous week, which is also a burden. The proportion of cases with unidentified infection routes was 24.5%, the highest in the past four weeks. At temporary screening clinics established to find 'hidden infections,' 50 confirmed cases are detected daily. On this day as well, 89 people tested positive after undergoing diagnostic tests at temporary screening clinics.

From this day, the health authorities will implement special quarantine measures for two weeks to reduce the daily number of confirmed cases to the 200s. In the metropolitan area, a special measures period has been declared, and in non-metropolitan areas, a special period for compliance with quarantine rules has been announced. Above all, the goal is to fundamentally block the spark of a future large-scale outbreak by focusing inspections on multi-use facilities and workplaces with many foreign workers in the metropolitan area, where confirmed cases are currently concentrated.

Experts pointed out the need to re-examine personal quarantine measures as the number of confirmed cases with unidentified infection routes is increasing. This means tightening personal quarantine measures once again, including adjusting social distancing if necessary. The average daily number of locally transmitted confirmed cases, a key indicator for adjusting social distancing levels, has exceeded 400 in the past week, already entering the range of level 2.5.

Meanwhile, on the 12th, the government decided to maintain the social distancing levels applied for two weeks from that day at the existing levels (level 2 in the metropolitan area, level 1.5 in non-metropolitan areas). Some measures were eased to alleviate public inconvenience. The ban on private gatherings of five or more people remains, but exceptions for meetings such as pre-wedding family introductions have been slightly expanded.

Professor Cheon Eun-mi of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, "The number of activities has increased and confirmed cases have risen again as social distancing levels were eased before the previous wave ended. Especially, the variant virus is spreading starting from non-metropolitan areas, and the only way to stop the spread of the variant virus is to strengthen personal quarantine and increase diagnostic testing to quickly isolate cases."

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