"Is the Omicron Wave Peak Accelerating? ... New Cases Surge Around 250,000"

More than 240,000 people already by 9 PM yesterday
Government to announce early adjustment of 'social distancing' today

On the 1st, when 138,993 new COVID-19 cases were reported, citizens who visited the temporary screening clinic set up at Seoul Station Plaza were waiting to get tested. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] As the Omicron variant surge is expected to cause daily new COVID-19 cases to spike above 250,000, the government is set to announce a slightly eased social distancing adjustment plan.

According to data compiled by local governments on the 4th, from midnight to 9 p.m. the previous day, a total of 244,889 confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported across 17 cities and provinces nationwide. Including additional cases counted from 9 p.m. to midnight the previous day, the number of new confirmed cases to be announced at midnight on this day is expected to be even higher.

The number of new confirmed cases surpassed 100,000 on the 18th of last month, and just 12 days later, on the 2nd, it rose to the 200,000 range with 219,240 cases, then surged further to the mid-200,000 range. The quarantine authorities had previously forecasted over 230,000 new cases around the presidential election day on the 9th, but the spread has already far exceeded the prediction due to a faster-than-expected transmission rate.

Predictions for the peak scale of the outbreak vary slightly among research institutions. Some studies suggest the peak will reach around 260,000 to 270,000 daily cases by mid-month, while others predict the peak will occur on the 12th with over 350,000 confirmed cases.

The quarantine authorities, synthesizing forecasts from multiple research institutions, expect the number of new confirmed cases to peak within the next one to two weeks, though considering the current spread rate, this timing could be accelerated.

As the COVID-19 outbreak approaches its peak, the government plans to announce a new social distancing adjustment plan to be implemented starting this weekend after a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters this morning. It is reported that the current social distancing measures limiting private gatherings to 6 people and business hours to 10 p.m. will maintain the gathering limit, but the business hours restriction will likely be extended by one hour to 11 p.m.

Initially, the government had planned to apply the current social distancing measures until the 13th, but considering the relatively low fatality rate compared to the spread of the Omicron variant, the recent slowdown in case increases, and the significant socioeconomic damage, it decided to ease the measures earlier.

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