The first 1200 people in the special year-end quarantine … Government decides whether to upgrade to 3 stages tomorrow

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The ‘third pandemic’ of a new coronavirus infection in Korea (Corona 19) is on the rise.

As large and small group infections continued across the country, on Christmas 25, 1,200 confirmed cases emerged, breaking the record again.

Furthermore, the percentage of patients with “unknown routes of infection” who do not know when and where they were infected did not drop below the 27% level, and the key indicators also indicate the level of risk.

To reverse the increase in the number of confirmed cases, the government is implementing “ special quarantine measures for the end of the year and the New Year holidays ” (12.24 to 2021.1.3) with the aim of banning gatherings of five or more restaurants across the country, shutting down winter sports facilities, and closing locations for sunrise. The loss is unknown.

The government held a meeting of the Central Headquarters for Disasters and Security Countermeasures on the afternoon of the 27th to determine additional measures, including the possibility of raising or not the 3rd stage of ‘social distancing’.

◇ Today, 900 to 1,000 people seem to leave … More than 1,000 confirmed cases of regional outbreaks on average per week

According to the Central Defense Countermeasures Headquarters (Bangdaebon) on the 26th, the number of new confirmed cases at 0 o’clock the previous day was 1,241, the highest since the Corona 19 outbreak in Korea on January 20.

The number increased by 256 from the previous day (985) and rose to 1,200 for the first time. The time point and scale have been increased compared to Bang Dae Headquarters Director Jung Eun-kyung’s prediction that “in the next week, there may be between 1 and 1200 confirmed cases per day.”

However, the government cautioned against broadening the interpretation, saying the increase in the number of confirmed cases the day before is likely to be a “temporary phenomenon.” The government explained that 288 people were diagnosed at the same time in the East Seoul Detention Center, and the number of confirmed cases in other regions continued the previous trend.

The number of new confirmed patients to be announced as of 0 o’clock in the day is expected to be counted from 900 to 1,000, similar to the flow of the last week.

A total of 726 confirmed cases were recorded between quarantine authorities and local governments, such as Seoul, from 0 a.m. to 6 a.m. the previous day. There were 58 over 668 people counted at the same time the day before.

In the case of the day before, 288 confirmed cases of secondary group infection in the eastern detention center in Seoul, which were unexpected, added to 1,200.

In addition to nursing hospitals and churches, where there are many confirmed cases, new group infections in everyday places like workplaces, restaurants, and animal hospitals are also affecting the spread of Corona 19.

Regarding major new infection cases, a total of 18 people, including workers, related to a meat processing company in Gwangju, Gyeonggi province, were confirmed and 33 people, including users and acquaintances, were infected with meat stores. food and restaurants in Cheonan, Chungnam.

Furthermore, in the case of the animal hospital in Geoje, Gyeongnam, 16 people, including the workers and their families, have tested positive so far, and a total of 14 people have been confirmed in connection with the meeting of acquaintances from Hadong-gun. .

In addition, cases of existing infection-vulnerable facilities such as Hyoplus Nursing Hospital in Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do (163 people in total), and CharmSarang Nursing Center for the Elderly in Cheongju-si, Chungbuk (98 people) they also increase day by day.

◇ The government “There is a limit that cannot be overcome with a decreasing tax … If special quarantine measures are observed, a reversal trend is expected early next year”

The rate of cases of unknown infection route does not fall below the 27% range. In the last 22-25 days (27.1% → 27.4% → 27.8% → 27.2%), it was in the range of 27% for four consecutive days.

This ratio remained in the range of 15-16% until the 6th of this month, but has continued to increase after exceeding 20% ​​on the 8th (20.7%). About 3 in 10 confirmed cases do not know the route of infection, which means that there is still a “silent spread” taking place somewhere.

Regarding the recent outbreak, Yun Tae-ho, head of Accident Control Headquarters (heavy water version), said: “We need to reverse the situation and break (the trend of confirmed cases) to a decrease, but we accept the part that cannot be broken as a boundary. ” We consider that the reduction in itself was the most essential measure and, in this sense, we announced special quarantine measures for the end of the year and the New Year holidays ”.

He added: “If people refrain from meetings and movements during the special quarantine period during the end of the year and the New Years period, and if the quarantine rules are strictly followed, a reversal trend is expected early next year. year”.

◇ End 28 of stage 2.5 of the metropolitan area … Possibility of ‘Upgrade to 3 steps’ in the weight of ‘Extension of 2.5 steps’

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 27th, the government held a meeting of the Security and Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters (Company) chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-gyun to determine additional quarantine measures, including the possibility of increasing o not the distance.

Stage 2.5 of the current metropolitan area and stage 2 of the non-metropolitan area will end on the 28th, so it is necessary to decide on the extension or improvement of these measures.

The third stage is actually a strong measure equivalent to the “lockdown”, and the government has shown a cautious stance on the upward revision, as it causes enormous social and economic damage.

However, as the number of confirmed cases increased the day before, the pressure to upgrade to stage three is mounting.

Professor Chun Byeong-cheol from Korea University’s Department of Preventive Medicine said: “Since citizens and businesses are operating in almost three stages, the government should not maintain the situation where it is not in stage 2.5 nor on stage 3 as it is now, and needs to be upgraded to stage 3. “

Eom Jung-sik, professor of infectious medicine at Gachon University Gil Hospital, said: “We have already missed the timing of the update, and even if the infection spreads so much that it will take a considerable amount of time to be effective “, said. Forecast.

Sohn Young-rae, head of the Strategic Planning Division, said in a briefing the day before, in a briefing on the three-stage update, “The most important thing is the trend of patient emergence, that is, what is the outbreak spread trend? “

He also added: “It is likely to be an important criterion for determining whether the outbreak pattern reaches a level that exceeds quarantine and medical response capabilities (up to stage three).”

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