코로나 1,097명 신규확진...정 총리 "전시상황, 중환자 병상 협력 요청"
South Korea today has reported another 11hundred new cases of COVID19, the highest singleday total since the pandemic began.
Prime Minister Chung Syekyun on Sunday urged help from private hospitals to secure more beds.
Yoon Jungmin reports.
South Korea reported 1thousand97 new COVID19 cases on Sunday,... the highest daily total so far.
Of them, 1thousand72 were locally transmitted.
By region, local infections were concentrated in the capital area,... with Seoul adding 470 cases, Gyeonggido Province 244 cases... and Incheon 62.
With the situation showing little sign of improving, Prime Minister Chung Syekyun emphasized in a meeting with health officials on Sunday the need to secure more hospital beds for patients who are severely ill.
"We should do all we can to secure more hospital beds for the critically ill, and take this as seriously as if we were in a war. I ask for the voluntary cooperation of private hospitals."
Speaking to local broadcaster KBS on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that COVID19 vaccinations will start in the first quarter next year, but on a limited basis.
He said that the vaccine made by AstraZeneca will be available no later than March,... but those from Pfizer, Janssen and Moderna might not be available by then.
South Korea, he said, will soon have contracts with the latter three drugmakers.
The Prime Minister said that, in the first quarter, vaccines for around 10 million people will arrive in the country in phases.
In the meantime, South Korea has been tightening the social distancing rules at highrisk facilities.
Restaurants cannot serve customers in the store after 9 PM, and highrisk facilities like gyms, saunas and singing rooms are closed.
Poker pubs will have to close until December 28th... and ski resorts outside the capital area will have to close after 9 PM.
Yoon Jungmin, Arirang News.
