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Notices of the Seoul City Administrative Emergency Order to ban the meeting are posted at the entrance of a …read more
SEOUL: South Korea warned of a second wave of the new coronavirus on Sunday when the infections recovered to a maximum of a month, just as authorities began easing some pandemic restrictions.
“It won’t end until it’s over,” President Moon Jae-in told the nation, saying a new group shows the virus can spread widely at any time, and warned of a second wave later this year.
the Korea Centers for Disease Control and prevention (KCDC) reported 34 new infections, the highest since April 9, after a small outbreak It sprang up around a large number of nightclubs, prompting authorities to temporarily close all nightly entertainment facilities in the capital.
The death toll remained at 256.
Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said the government will decide whether to reopen the schools in stages starting May 13, as planned, after examining the impact of the nightclub cases for two or three days.
Fighting the first major coronavirus outbreak outside of China, South Korea brought virus infections and the COVID-19 disease it causes, dramatically declining through widespread testing, tracking apps, and aggressive contact tracking. The answer has helped AsiaThe fourth largest economy faces the pandemic without extensive blockages seen elsewhere.
The daily count of new infections had hovered around 10 or less in the past few weeks, with very few domestic cases in the past 10 days.
The new outbreak comes just as the government eased some restrictions on social distancing and moved to reopen schools and businesses entirely, in a transition from intensive social distancing to “distancing from everyday life.”
“We must never let our guard down regarding epidemic prevention,” Moon said in a televised speech marking the third anniversary of its inauguration. “We are in a protracted war. I ask everyone to abide by the safety precautions and rules until the situation is over, even after resuming daily life.”
He said the KCDC will gain more power as part of the long-term fight and will be renamed the Disease Control and Prevention Administration to reflect its improved position, while authorities reinforce local experience.
The resurgence is fueled by an outbreak centered on a handful of Seoul nightclubs, which a man in his 20s had visited before testing positive last week.
At least 24 of the 26 new home-transmitted infections were traced back to that man, bringing the case-related infections to 54, the KCDC said.
The KCDC said authorities are tracking some 1,900 people who have gone to the clubs, which could increase to 7,000, asking anyone who was there last week to isolate themselves for 14 days and be tested.
“This case shows once again a rapid spread of the virus, as well as high infectivity,” KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyeong said in a briefing. “We are in a battle against time to prevent further broadcasts in local communities.”
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