COVID-19 cases stay in 400s for 3rd day
Visitors to Hanyang University Seoul Hospital in the city's Seongdong District queue up to an early COVID-19 testing center inside the campus where cluster infection cases of the disease were reported. Yonhap
Daily new COVID-19 cases remained in the 400s for the third day in a row for Friday, as the health authorities scrambled to contain infection clusters linked to unregistered, missionary schools nationwide.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported that the country added 458 more infections, including 423 locally transmitted ones, raising the total caseload to 77,850
The figure was down from 469 for Thursday, 497 on Wednesday and 559, Tuesday
Fifteen more fatalities were also recorded, raising the total to 1,414. The number of patients across the country with serious symptoms is 231.
Due to a continued rise in infection clusters at religious facilities, the health authorities delayed a decision until Sunday on whether to extend or ease the current social distancing measures.
They are expected to decide the level of social distancing measures over the weekend, but appear to be very cautious in sharply lowering the level ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday slated for Feb. 11 to 13.
Infections clusters at religious, medical and nursing facilities have been sprouting up nationwide.
The number of infected people tied to six unauthorized education facilities run by a local Christian missionary group called the International Mission (IM) rose to 355 as of Friday night, up 15 from Thursday.
Seoul's Hanyang University Hospital has reported at least 23 confirmed cases, while clusters at a central Seoul welfare facility and a southern Seoul workplace have reported 35 and 44 patients, respectively.
Interior and Safety Minister Jeon Hae-cheol told reporters there were worries that the coronavirus could spread further because of the outbreaks at the IM missionary schools.
"Given the growing uncertainties over the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the government is cautiously reviewing a change in social distancing rules," Jeon said.
Level 2.5, the second highest in the country's five-tier system, has been applied in the greater Seoul area since early December, with Level 2 in other areas. Bans on gatherings of five or more people have been in place across almost the entire country.
Of the additional locally transmitted cases, 152 came from Seoul and 136 were reported from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Incheon, 40 km west of the capital, reported 15 more cases. The three areas account for around half of the country's population.
The total number of people released from quarantine after recovering rose by 618 to 67,121. (Yonhap)