New cases further inch down to 1,400s, tougher distancing measures eyed outside capital
People get tested for COVID-19 at a temporary facility set up in Haeundae, Busan, July 16. Yonhap
Daily new COVID-19 cases retreated to the 1,400s Friday, but the authorities are considering imposing tighter social distancing measures outside the capital area amid the spiraling number of infections nationwide coupled with concerns over the Delta variant.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 1,455 coronavirus infections, including 1,404 local ones, raising the total caseload to 176,500.
On the previous day, the country added 1,536 cases, slightly down from the record high of 1,615 tallied Wednesday. Daily cases have been staying above the 1,000 mark since July 7.
Four more COVID-19 deaths were also reported, raising fatalities to 2,055.
The greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's 51.3 million population, has been under the highest level of social distancing since Monday.
Under the toughest virus curbs, gatherings of more than two people are banned after 6 p.m., and entertainment establishments, including nightclubs and bars, have been ordered to close, while restaurants are allowed to have dine-in customers until 10 p.m.
Other regions had been placed under the lowest Level 1 measures throughout this month, before the authorities decided to raise this to Level 2 earlier this week amid the looming nationwide spread of the virus.
While gatherings of up to eight people would in principle be allowed under Level 2, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum urged the regional governments to adopt further toughened restrictions with the cap at just four amid growing concerns over new infections across the country.
The administration plans to provide details Sunday on the ceiling that will be applied outside the capital area.
South Korea, which has been considered one of the most successful countries in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, is currently at a critical juncture, with the authorities expecting the daily figure to jump up to the mid-2,000s by mid-August.
While the health authorities say the country's vaccination program is set to flatten the curve soon, the number of people being inoculated has remained sluggish over the past few weeks amid a supply shortage of vaccines.
A total of 16 million people, or 31.3 percent of the country's population, have received their first shots of COVID-19 vaccines as of Saturday.
The KDCA added that 6.35 million people have been fully vaccinated, accounting for 12.7 percent of the population.
Of the newly confirmed domestic cases, 556 were in Seoul, 385 in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province and 77 in the western port city of Incheon.
Imported cases, which also include South Korean nationals arriving from overseas, came to 51.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making a recovery was 157,960, up 847 from a day earlier.
The number of patients in critical condition was 185, an increase of 14 from Thursday. (Yonhap)