코로나19 어제 121명 신규확진, 1주일만에 세자릿수
On the Covid front, an uptick in daily new infections here in South Korea.
The tally today at 1-hundred-21 - it's the first time that the number has risen above one hundred in one week... largely on continued emergence of cluster infections at nursing homes and risk-prone facilities.
Meanwhile, a South Korean pharmaceutical has agreed on a deal to be one of the global manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines.
Min Suk-hyen reports.
South Korea on Thursday reported 121 new COVID-19 cases.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 104 cases were domestic infections the first time locally transmitted cases have gone above a hundred since September 24th.
The other 17 cases were from overseas.
This brings the total number of coronavirus infections across the nation to over 25-thousand-500.
Thursday's figure is the second time the daily figures have exceeded a hundred since the country eased its social distancing measures last week.
On October 12th, social distancing guidelines were revised to level one, the lowest level in the three-tier system... following a downward trend in cases.
However, there have still been cluster infections in recent weeks, mainly at nursing homes and long-term care hospitals.
As of Thursday, a total of 106 cases are linked to a rehabilitation hospital in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do Province, while 84 others are tied to a nursing home in Busan.
Starting Monday, the country is conducting tests on those related to such risk-prone facilities in the greater Seoul area to contain the spread of the virus.
"On October 19th and 20th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government conducted tests on two-thousand-746 workers at 30 medical facilities in the capital. Among those, only one tested positive. Testing and tracing are being carried out at the long-term care hospital in Yeongdeungpo-gu District."
Meanwhile, South Korean biopharmaceutical company Green Cross Pharma has agreed to work with an international organization to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines for global distribution.
Under the deal with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Green Cross Pharma plans to produce 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines between March 2021 and May 2022.
The agreement aims to accelerate the production of vaccines worldwide and to ensure fair and equitable access to the vaccine.
Min Suk-hyen, Arirang News.
