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| Yoga instructors gather in front of the headquarters of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Yeouido in the Yeongdeungpo District of Seoul, Jan. 8, demanding the central government allow them to provide lessons. The signs read, "Drinking without putting on masks is okay but doing yoga with masks on isn't?" Yonhap |
Fewer than 1,000 daily new COVID-19 cases were reported here for the fifth consecutive day, Friday, but the government is remaining vigilant over potential infection clusters coupled with looming concerns over the spread of possible coronavirus variants.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said it had detected 641 more infections, including 596 local ones, raising the total caseload to 67,999
This was the lowest daily figure since Dec. 8, when the country added 594 cases, and a drop from 674 the previous day.
The authorities attributed this as the latest sign of a slowdown in the local spread of COVID-19 due to the country's tough social distancing policies.
The government has imposed its Level 2.5 social distancing regulations, the second highest in its five-tier system, in the greater Seoul area since Dec. 8, with private gatherings of five or more people banned.
High-risk entertainment venues, including bars, clubs and karaoke establishments, in the Seoul metropolitan area will be allowed to conditionally reopen when the Level 2.5 measures are relaxed Jan. 17.
Despite the slowdown, however, the KDCA is keeping a watchful eye on a new variant that was first reported in England.
As of Friday, it has reported of 16 cases of the new strain.
The government has banned flights from England since Dec. 23, with the ban extended until Jan. 21.
Of the newly identified local infections, 180 were reported in Seoul, 195 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and 46 in Incheon, west of Seoul. The three areas are home to around half of the country's population.
Meanwhile, imported cases numbered 45.
The Dongbu Detention Center in the capital, which recently emerged as a serious infection cluster, has reported 1,177 cases so far.
Nineteen more deaths from COVID-19 were confirmed, raising the total to 1,100.
The number of seriously or critically ill patients reached 409 for Friday, up five from the previous day, while the number of people making a recovery stood at 49,324, up 955. (Yonhap)
