SEOUL • South Korea has decided to toughen measures as worries rise over the third wave of coronavirus infections.
Dr Jeong Eun-kyeong, chief of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, told a media briefing yesterday the country's reproduction rate of Covid-19 reached 1.43 last week, which signals that one patient can infect 1.5 people.
Dr Jeong noted that unless the rate falls below one, the number of confirmed cases would continue to grow faster. She added that the daily caseload could soar to a range of 700 to 1,000 in the next one or two weeks if the current rate of 1.43 is left unchanged.
South Korea reported 438 new virus cases as at midnight Sunday, raising the total number of infections to 34,201, with 526 deaths.
The daily caseload stayed below 500 for two days, but this was due to fewer tests at the weekend.
The daily number of confirmed Covid-19 cases has grown in triple digits for 23 days running since Nov 8, hovering above 300 after Nov 18, except for Nov 23.
The third wave was caused by small cluster infections, especially in the Seoul metropolitan area, traceable to small gatherings among families and acquaintances, and to workplaces, public bathhouses and sports facilities.
The government decided to raise its five-tier social-distancing guidelines to the third-highest Level 2 from last Tuesday to Dec 7 in capital Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi province as part of efforts to contain the virus spread.
Despite the tightened rules, the resurgence showed no sign of let-up, leading the government to toughen measures.
The government decided on Sunday to keep the Seoul metropolitan area under the Level 2 distancing regulations, but additional restrictions were imposed on gatherings and activities.
The use of sauna and steam rooms in bathhouses is to be banned from today for one week in the metropolitan area, while nine types of exercises done in groups will be prohibited in indoor sports facilities during the same period in the capital region.
Singing lessons will be banned in the cited period in the Seoul area, while year-end or New Year parties will not be allowed at hotels, party rooms and guest houses, among other measures.
Meanwhile, South Korea's ruling party has called for the purchase of millions more Covid-19 vaccine doses. The country already plans to secure doses to vaccinate 30 million people, or about 60 per cent of the population.
Democratic Party lawmakers said they plan to allocate additional funds to next year's budget to buy vaccine doses for at least 44 million people.
XINHUA, REUTERS
