COVID-19
South Korea on Thursday said it was considering a renewed tightening of coronavirus restrictions after Health authorities reported more than 400 new coronavirus cases in one day for the first time since March.
Yoon Ho, the Senior official at Seouls Health Ministry, said that the government recognised the severity of the situation and considering all options.
This include strengthening social distancing rules and banning gatherings of more than 10 people, with schools and most public institutions closed.
According to data from the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) on Thursday 441 new cases were reported, bringing the countrys total to 18,706.
The country has seen a sharp jump in infections in the previous weeks, recording more than 3,800 new cases.
Thursdays daily tally is the first time cases have topped 400 since March 7, when 483 cases were recorded.
According to KCDC, out of the new cases, 434 were local transmissions.
In Seoul, 154 new cases were reported, the highest daily total yet, while a further 100 were announced in the surrounding Gyeonggi province.
Meanwhile, hundreds of cases in Seoul had been linked to an outbreak at Sarang Jeil church.
The nations parliament had to be closed after a photojournalist, who had attended a session of the governing party on Tuesday, tested positive for the virus.
The country has recorded 313 overall COVID-19 deaths so far.
South Korea has seen sporadic clusters of infection since it relaxed stricter social distancing on May 6. (dpa/NAN)
Source: NAN News