- Following an outbreak of Covid cases, Seoul and nearby districts will delay the planned relaxation of social distancing for at least one week, authorities said
- The new cases included the more contagious Delta variants, which were discovered in universities, workplaces and restaurants in the metropolitan area
- Experts further said the announced relaxing of restrictions could send the wrong signal to the public, as health authorities called on the public to exercise increased caution
SEOUL, South Korea: Following an outbreak of Covid cases, Seoul and nearby districts will delay the planned relaxation of social distancing for at least one week, authorities said.
Earlier announced plans called for South Korea to reduce social distancing on July 1 and allow private gatherings of up to six people in the greater Seoul area, as the country’s inoculation drive has been accelerating.
Prior to June, the number of new infections have remained below 700 per day. However, South Korea reported 794 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Of these 759 new cases, 631 or 83.1 percent were from the greater Seoul area, Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health ministry official, told a briefing on Wednesday.
The new cases included the more contagious Delta variants, which were discovered in universities, workplaces and restaurants in the metropolitan area, Yoon said.
Officials in Seoul fear that reducing social distancing measures during the rise in Covid cases might result in a “severe and critical crisis” causing confusion among the public and more transmissions.
Experts further said the announced relaxing of restrictions could send the wrong signal to the public, as health authorities called on the public to exercise increased caution.
South Korea has inoculated close to 30 percent of its 52 million population with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, as it expects to reach its 70 percent target by September.
The country has recorded 156,961 infections and 2,018 COVID-19 deaths as of Tuesday, data showed.
