SEOUL (Reuters) – The capital of South Korea on Monday ordered the wearing of masks for both indoor and outdoor public places for the first time as it struggles with a rise in coronavirus cases in central the densely populated metropolis.
A man traps his son while shopping in Myeongdong shopping district, which is almost empty amid coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in Seoul, South Korea, August 24, 2020. REUTERS / Kim Hong-Ji
In May, the city government ordered that masks be worn on public transport and in taxis, but a recent spike in cases has prompted health officials to raise the country’s highest level of social distance, known as Phase 3.
“If we can not stop it at this stage, we have no choice but to upgrade to the third phase of social distance,” President Moon Jae-in told his top aides.
“The increase to phase 3 is by no means an easy option.”
Under Phase 3, schools and businesses will be encouraged to inflict more damage on Asia’s fourth largest economy.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 266 new cases since midnight on Sunday, down from 397 a day earlier, but another in more than a week of triple-digit daily increases.
Overall, South Korea reported 17,665 cases of coronavirus and 309 deaths.
It has been widely praised for its success in tackling the virus, with extensive testing and aggressive contact tracing, but Health Ministry official Yoon Tae-ho said researchers were unable to detect the transmission routes of about 20% of recent cases determined, and worried about so-called silent spreaders.
He urged people not to go home and cancel all unnecessary outings.
“If we do not close this week to flatten the curve, we believe we are dealing with a very important crisis, that the virus will spread to the whole nation,” Yoon told a briefing.
CASES LINKED TO KIRCH
Authorities have linked 875 recent cases to a church in Seoul run by a radical conservative pastor.
Some members of the church have attended a recent anti-government crackdown on the virus. A total of 176 infections, including seven police officers, were found after the attack, KCDC chief Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing.
The government has accused the church of obstruction by failing to provide complete lists of members and spreading false news that hinders anti-virus efforts. Church members say they are victims of a politically motivated witch hunt.
Coupang Corp., one of South Korea’s largest e-commerce companies, said it had closed its headquarters in Seoul after a staff member from home worked positively.
In June, at least 100 cases were linked to a logistics center run by the e-commerce giant.
The government has expanded second-tier social-distancing rules to the entire country after new cases appeared in all of its 17 regions.
Under the restrictions, church meetings are prohibited and nightclubs, buffets and cybercafes are closed.
South Korea has recorded an average of 162.1 daily infections in the past two weeks – 13 times the average of two weeks ago. Of the new cases, 84% were in the Seoul metropolitan area, the KCDC said.
Report by Josh Smith, Sangmi Cha; Edited by Richard Pullin, Robert Birsel
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