SEOUL, Jul 11 (Yonhap) – The number of additional cases of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) remained above 1,300 for the third day in a row this Sunday as health authorities prepare to impose antivirus restrictions strictest in the Seoul area in order to bring the fourth epidemic wave under control.
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The country has reported 1,324 additional cases of Covid-19, including 1,280 local infections, bringing the toll to 168,046, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
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This is the first time that the daily toll has exceeded the 1.300 mark for the third consecutive day since the first infection was confirmed here on January 20, 2020. Today’s figure follows the 1.275 recorded on Thursday, 1.316 on Friday and 1.378 Saturday.
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The country added five deaths linked to Covid-19, bringing the death toll to 2,043. The death rate was 1.22%
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From tomorrow, the government will tighten anti-virus restrictions at the highest level in Greater Seoul which encompasses the capital, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon City for two weeks.
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Under Level 4 rules, private gatherings of three or more people will be prohibited after 6 p.m. and lessons will be conducted online. Only family members will be able to attend weddings and funerals. Entertainment establishments such as nightclubs and bars will have to close while restaurants will be allowed to welcome customers until 10 p.m.
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As the country grips with the fourth wave of the epidemic, health officials have warned that the worst may yet be to come. In a worst-case scenario, daily new infections could rise to 2,140 by the end of the month, the KDCA estimated. Unless things get worse, the daily average for new infections could rise to 1,400 at the end of July.
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If vaccination gains speed and the population strictly adheres to health measures, the number could drop to 260-415 in September, health authorities predicted.
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Cluster infections have emerged in various places such as businesses, schools and department stores across the Seoul area amid a surge in cases of the Delta variant.
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About 80% of the new infections were from Seoul and neighboring areas, with people in their 20s and 30s, most of whom are not eligible for vaccination, accounting for most of the new cases, according to the KDCA.
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In total, 15.58 million people, or 30.4% of the country’s population, received their first injection of the Covid-19 vaccine. Health officials added that 5.87 million people have been fully immunized, representing 11.4 percent of the population. The country is currently administering the two-dose vaccines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, as well as the single-injection vaccine from Janssen.
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Of the new national confirmed cases, 501 were from Seoul, 399 from surrounding Gyeonggi Province and 65 from the port city of Incheon.
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There have been 44 additional imported cases, including 40 from Asian countries except China.
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The number of patients in serious or critical condition was 145, down three from the previous day.
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The total number released from quarantine after fully recovering was 153,760, up 607 from the previous day.
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