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New virus cases rebound to over 100 again

Jongmyo Jerye, a rite held for worshipping the late kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty in Jongmyo Shrine now located in Seoul's Jongno District, is held on Nov. 7 without audience to prevent spread of COVID-19 infection. Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration South Korea's new coronavirus infections again rose by triple digits Sunday on a string of cluster infections across the country, putting the country's virus fight at risk amid the approaching winter season.The country added 143 more COVID-19 cases, including 118 local infections, raising the total caseload to 27,427, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).It marked a sharp rise from 89 cases added Saturday but a slight drop from 145 reported Friday.Sunday's increase came despite the lower number of tests carried out over the weekend.Health authorities remain vigilant over sporadic cluster infectio

Nov 8, 2020
New virus cases rebound to over 100 again

South Korea's new coronavirus cases reduced to double digits

Prime Minister Jung Sye-kyun attends the COVID-19 central disaster counter-measure meeting at Government Complex Seoul, Nov. 6. Yonhap New COVID-19 cases fell below 100 in Korea for Friday for the first time in four days as the health authorities introduced a revised social distancing system.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 89 infections, raising the total caseload to 27,284, and one more fatality bringing the death toll to 477.The number of new cases had stayed in the triple digits daily through Thursday.Of the 89, local infections stood at 72, while the rest were imported.The greater Seoul area ― home to half of South Korea's 51 million population ― accounted for 51 out of 72 locally transmitted cases.The country had seen a recent uptick in the number of daily cases due to sporadic infection clusters at nursing homes and hospitals, as well as group transmissions at private gatherings of families and friends.Of the 17 imported cases ―

Nov 7, 2020
South Korea's new coronavirus cases reduced to double digits

Cheonan call center facing lawsuit over COVID-19 outbreak

Citizens in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, wait their turn to go through COVID-19 testing at a public health center, Thursday, as infections reported in the region were traced to a call center. YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeThe Shinhan Life Insurance and Shinhan Card call center in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, which has produced a cluster of at least 30 COVID-19 infections, is facing a lawsuit over its negligence in complying with antivirus guidelines aimed at stemming the spread of the contagious disease.Local government and health authority officials said Friday that they found out during their on-the-spot survey that the call center workers were not even following basic measures such as wearing face masks and keeping a distance between them. “The call center workers are believed to have been in a poor working environment as there was no proper ventilation system, either,” a Cheonan City official said. “Neglecting antivirus guidelines resulted in the infections there. We are considering filing a lawsuit against those in charge of the call center.”Call cen

Nov 6, 2020By Jun Ji-hye
Cheonan call center facing lawsuit over COVID-19 outbreak

Gov't to maintain lowest level of social distancing despite concerns

Members of Korea Elders Choir wearing face masks perform during a concert in front of the Saemoonan Church in Seoul, Friday, Nov. 6 , 2020. APSouth Korea will maintain Level 1 social distancing regulations under a revised five-tier scheme as the average daily number of new cases remains below 100 this week, the health authority said Friday.The new five-tier scheme, which takes effect Saturday, breaks the current three levels into five ― 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 ― based on the average number of daily infections per week, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The new system divides the nation into seven zones to allow provincial governments to decide the level of their own social distancing in accordance with the new infections in the regions.The new system groups facilities into "priority" and "regular" sites in terms of the application of antivirus rules, while mask wearing and other key rules that were previously mandatory only at "high-risk" facilities will now apply to all facilities.Starting Nov. 13, those who don't wear masks in public spaces and trans

Nov 6, 2020
Gov't to maintain lowest level of social distancing despite concerns

New virus cases above 100 for 3rd day

A health official from the district office wearing protective gear disinfects as a precaution against the coronavirus in Seoul, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. APKorea's new coronavirus infections rose by triple digits for a third straight day Friday, due to an increase of cluster infections across the country, putting the country's virus fight at risk amid the approaching winter season.The country added 145 more COVID-19 cases, including 117 local infections, raising the total caseload to 27,195, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).It marked a slight rise from 125 added Thursday and 118 identified Wednesday.The number of domestic transmissions was also the highest since Oct. 23, when 138 new cases were reported.Recently, South Korea has seen an uptick in the number of daily cases due to sporadic cluster infections from senior nursing homes and hospitals.Health authorities remain vigilant as such group transmissions were reported from private gatherings of families and friends as well.Starting Saturday, South Korea will adopt a new level of social distancing

Nov 6, 2020
New virus cases above 100 for 3rd day

Another call center hit by COVID-19 infection cluster

The entrance of a building in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, is closed, Thursday, as more than 20 people working at a call center there have tested positive for COVID-19. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeMore than 20 people working at a call center in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, have tested positive for COVID-19, local government and health authority officials there said Thursday, raising concerns about potential mass transmissions, considering the usually packed environment at such workplaces.City officials said at least 20 workers at the Shinhan Life Insurance and Shinhan Card call center were confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus on Thursday alone, after the health authorities carried out testing on about 80 workers there, following the confirmation of a female worker in her 40s being infected, Wednesday.Call centers have been cited as facilities susceptible to infection clusters as employees usually have to work in small booths for long hours speaking to customers on the phone. In March, a call center in Seoul's Guro District, providing customer services for Chu

Nov 5, 2020
Another call center hit by COVID-19 infection cluster

94 suspected flu shot deaths reported: authorities

GettyimagesbankSouth Korea's public health agency said Thursday that a total of 94 people, most of whom were elderly, died after receiving seasonal flu vaccines. The deaths have stoked public anxiety over the safety of such vaccines, but the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said 87 of those deaths have very limited relation with the flu shots. Another seven cases are under investigation.Of the total, 40 people were in their 70s, followed by 38 people aged 80 or older, eight under 60 and eight in their 60s, the KDCA said.The health authorities have repeatedly said they have found no direct link between flu shots and deaths, urging people to get flu vaccinations before the onset of winter amid the coronavirus pandemic. Public anxiety has heightened over the safety of flu vaccines after some vaccine bottles ― part of the country's free inoculation program ― were exposed to room temperature during distribution. The authorities, however, said there was no safety issue.So far, more than 12.14 million South Koreans have received free state flu shots, out of about 19 millio

Nov 5, 2020
94 suspected flu shot deaths reported: authorities

New virus cases above 100 for 2nd day

Imperial guards wearing face masks to help protect against the spread of the coronavirus move during rain at the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. APSouth Korea's new coronavirus infections rose by triple digits for a second consecutive day Thursday, as sporadic infections continued in the greater Seoul area. The country added 125 more COVID-19 cases, including 108 local infections, raising the total caseload to 27,050, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).The number of domestically transmitted people rose to the highest level since Oct. 23, when 138 new cases were reported. The latest surge came mostly from senior nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities, but sporadic community infections have also taken place at small gatherings of families and friends. The number of newly infected has hovered around 100 in the past two weeks, with many of them from the Seoul metropolitan area. Health authorities are still on guard against potential cases tied to Halloween parties over the weekend, as young people gathered at clubs and bars in Seou

Nov 5, 2020
New virus cases above 100 for 2nd day

Police investigate after infant found dead in Seoul

Police are looking for the mother of an infant found dead Tuesday near a 'baby box' in Gwanak District, Seoul. /Korea Times fileBy Kim Se-jeongPolice in Seoul said Wednesday that they were looking for the mother of an infant who was found dead Tuesday morning near a “baby box” facility in Gwanak District where people leave unwanted babies.The baby box is run by a Christian pastor and his family. According to police, the infant was found around 5:30 a.m. on a steel drum across from the baby box. The baby was wrapped in a pink towel, with its umbilical cord and placenta still attached. A nearby surveillance camera caught the woman arriving at the site at 10:10 p.m. Monday and leaving the infant on the steel drum. The police said they are currently operating under the assumption the woman is the mother. Officers believe the infant was alive initially but froze to death during the night.“She may not have left the baby in the cold intentionally. It might have been a mistake. But still we need to find the woman, who could be the mother, captured in the CCTV footage and qu

Nov 4, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Police investigate after infant found dead in Seoul

New virus cases jump over 100 amid Halloween concerns

A medical worker takes a break at a public health center in Seoul's Gangnam District, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeNew daily COVID-19 infections in Korea rebounded back to over 100, after three days of remaining in double digits, raising concerns over a possible surge in cases in the aftermath of Halloween parties.The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported Wednesday that the nation added 118 new infections for Tuesday, raising the total caseload to 26,925, and a sharp rise from 75 identified Monday. Among the 118, local cases stood at 98, and among them, patients in Seoul and the metropolitan area accounted for nearly 86 percent. The health authorities are on guard against further increases this week, mindful of the possibility that Halloween celebrations held Saturday could have sparked another wave of infections, as many young people gathered at clubs and bars in popular areas in the capital such as Itaewon, Hongdae and Gangnam to enjoy the weekend, despite warnings of potential infections. The average incubation period for the coronavirus is about five days

Nov 4, 2020
New virus cases jump over 100 amid Halloween concerns
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