Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Government South Korea is considering the option of implementing a semi-lockdown or the lockdown of the capital city of Seoul, after noting a rise in infections Covid-19 highest on Wednesday (7/7).
South Korea recorded 1,275 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours on Wednesday. That number exceeds the daily number of cases reported at the height of the third wave of coronavirus that hit South Korea in December 2020.
According to South Korea’s Agency for Disease Control and Prevention (KDCA), about 80 percent of the 1,275 cases were localized in special areas of the capital including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon City.
With this latest development, South Korea’s Ministry of Health said Seoul will implement level 4 movement restrictions after recording a spike in daily Covid-19 infections exceeding 389 cases in three consecutive days.
The average daily number of Covid-19 cases in South Korea from July 1-8 reached 389 people.
“We are continuing to review the preventive response for the Seoul metropolitan area,” Yonhap news agency quoted Health Ministry official Son Young-rae as telling reporters in Seoul.
Authorities say Covid-19 spreads rapidly especially among unvaccinated people in their 20s and 30s. So far, only 10 percent of South Korea’s 52 million people have been fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, only 30 percent of all South Koreans have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The majority are residents of the elderly group.
The spike in Covid-19 in South Korea is thought to have been caused by the spread of the Delta variant of the corona virus.
During level 4 mobility restrictions, the public is advised not to travel. Schools, nightclubs and some public spaces will also be closed.
Authorities will also limit public gatherings to a maximum of two people and ban crowds such as demonstrations and other events.
Launch Reuters, restaurants and cafes are allowed to continue operating with a limited number of visitors. All food and beverage outlets are also only allowed to accept delivery services or take-away orders after 10 PM and above.
Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said the government would continue to monitor the situation throughout this week and discuss the possibility of imposing tighter restrictions in Seoul and other regions at a special meeting on coronavirus.
Since the start of the pandemic, South Korea has recorded a total of 164,028 coronavirus cases with 2,034 deaths.
(rds/ayp)
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