[ad_1]
SEOUL: South Korea took action on Tuesday (December 22) to close all ski resorts and winter resorts in a bid to stem the spread of COVID-19 as a third wave of the pandemic proves much more difficult to contain in the densely populated region of the capital. city.
From December 24 to January 3, the government will close ski facilities and tourist attractions, popular during the year-end season, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a televised briefing.
READ: Seoul To Ban Gatherings Of More Than 4 As South Korea Reports Daily Kills From COVID-19
Gatherings of more than four people will not be allowed, he said, while stricter restrictions will be placed on antivirus in restaurants to control infections.
The announcement comes after Seoul and surrounding areas banned gatherings of more than four people during the Christmas and New Year holidays, and the country recorded its highest daily death toll from coronavirus on Monday.
South Korea reported 869 new coronavirus cases as of midnight Monday, the Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency (KDCA) said on Tuesday, down from the daily record of 1,097 reported over the weekend.
READ: South Korea to open more COVID-19 testing sites
The avalanche of new cases has rocked a country that for months has been considered a mitigation success story. The new cases bring the country’s tally to 51,460 infections, with 722 deaths.
“The message that the government is urging the people is clear,” Chung said. “We sincerely ask that you cancel all trips and meetings and stay home for the Christmas and New Year holidays.”
So far, the national government has resisted calls to impose Phase 3 in the country’s anti-COVID-19 plans, the strictest of all categorized social distancing rules that would essentially block Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
CHECK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
