코로나 신규확진 280명...박능후 "오직 거리두기 뿐, 3단계 가면 일상이 정지"
Authorities here are scrambling to make sure the sudden surge in cases does not put a strain on hospital beds as South Korea has seen triple-digit increase for the 12th day.
280 new Covid-19 cases reported today - most of them in the densely populated greater Seoul area - prompting officials to once again stress social distancing.
This week will be "make-or-break" time.
Yoon Jung-min reports.
South Korea reported 280 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday,... of which 264 were local transmissions.
Of them, 134 cases were reported in Seoul, 63 in Gyeonggi-do Province, and 15 in Incheon.
The country has reported triple digits of new cases for 12 days in a row. Many of the early cases came from cluster infections at a church in Seoul, and a rally on South Korea's National Liberation Day on August 15th.
The health authorities said that as of noon Tuesday,... the total number of COVID-19 infections related to the Sarang Jeil Church was tallied at 915.
Nearly 200 cases were reported related to the rally at the Gwanghwamun Square on August 15th.
But the source of almost 17 percent of the roughly 3-thousand cases reported in the last two weeks remains unknown.
The South Korean government is tightening social distancing measures,... including making it mandatory to wear a mask in public.
The authorities are asking people to follow the strict rules,... saying the country is at a critical juncture and could have to raise the social distancing level by another notch.
"This week is the crucial moment for whether to decide to raise social distancing to Level 3. Level 3 social distancing means a suspension of daily activities, and we have to suffer from collapsing job numbers."
As of Tuesday, only seven of the total of 85 intensive care units in the capital area remain available due to the surging number of infections.
The authorities said they are currently in close contact with major general hospitals to secure more hospital beds.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.
