Halloween gatherings raising outbreak concerns
A street in Itaewon, Seoul, is crowded on Halloween, Sunday. YonhapAuthorities warn daily caseload could increase to 4,000-5,000By Jun Ji-hyeConcerns are rising over additional COVID-19 outbreaks and a potential fifth wave of infections, after a huge number of people attended private gatherings and parties during the Halloween weekend across the country. Popular entertainment areas such as Itaewon and Gangnam in Seoul were crowded with young people, right before the government was to begin its shift to a “Living with COVID-19” plan, Monday, aimed at achieving a “return to normalcy” through a gradual phasing out of coronavirus restrictions.Amid a growing sense of freedom following the government's announcement of plans to ease social distancing rules, even though they were still in place Sunday, 1,289 people were caught violating them nationwide during police crackdowns over the weekend, according to the National Police Agency, Monday.But the crackdowns, jointly carried out by police and local governments to prevent potential mass infections, were not that succ
