Prime Minister makes stay-at-home call as virus surges
South Korea’s daily virus tally hovered above 500 for the second straight day, as the country’s prime minister urged the public to stay home this weekend to contain a viral resurgence.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said yesterday it had found 569 new cases over the past 24 hours, raising the country’s total to 32,887 with 516 deaths.
South Korea on Thursday registered 583 new cases, the first time its daily tally had exceeded 500 since March. Officials say the latest outbreak is worrisome because it is tied to a variety of sources such as schools, offices, hospitals, an army boot camp, a public sauna and family gatherings.
South Korea has seen a spike in fresh infections since it eased tough social distancing rules last month. Authorities subsequently restored distancing guidelines in Seoul and other areas earlier this week. But they say South Korea is expected to report 400-600 new cases every day until early December before the distancing restrictions could show effects.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun yesterday urged the public to avoid social gatherings and stay home as much as possible this weekend. He says the number of virus cases in South Korea has increased after weekends over the past two weeks.
In other developments in Asia and the Pacific:
From nearly 8000 actives cases in August and more than 800 deaths in the Australian state of Victoria to the elimination of the coronavirus: It’s an achievement that one Melbourne doctor says he thought was unthinkable only three months ago. Yesterday marked four weeks without a new case of Covid-19 and 9828 Victorians were tested in the past 24 hours. Health authorities say 28 days with no new cases means the virus has been eliminated from the community, given that the time represents two 14-day incubation periods. Victoria reached 7880 active cases on August 11. The last Covid-19 patient in a Victorian hospital was discharged on Monday, leaving the state without an active case.
Japanese Emperor Naruhito and his family will not offer their New Year greetings from the palace balcony because of concerns over the country’s struggles with a resurgence of coronavirus infections. The Imperial Household Agency said in a statement yesterday that the annual greetings on January 2 will not be held. The event traditionally draws tens of thousands of well-wishers to the palace garden. Emperor Naruhito and his family have rarely made public appearances since the pandemic because of cancellation of palace events. Experts have urged the government to reduce social and business activity before the holiday season because of a rise in serious coronavirus cases.