Corona 19 inspection at Jinkwan Industrial Complex in Namyangju▶ Click here to enlarge
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The spread of the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in Korea, which seemed to have been waning for a while, is raising its head again after the Lunar New Year holidays (2.11-14).
The number of new confirmed cases, which had dropped to 300 units due to the decrease in the number of tests during the holiday season, soared to 600 immediately.
In particular, as the number of confirmed cases increases rapidly before the increase in the amount of travel during the Lunar New Year holiday and the aftermath of infection due to family and relative gatherings, there are voices already worried about the ‘4th outbreak’.
The quarantine authorities noticed that the number of confirmed cases increased significantly again two days after the step of “social distancing” and the easing of business hours (9:00 p.m. → 10:00 p.m.) of multi-use facilities in the metropolitan area. It is showing that it is possible to consider ways to reinforce these measures.
◇ At the end of the holiday, 300 people → 400 people → 600 people rapidly increased… Quarantine danger signs everywhere
According to the Central Defense Countermeasure Headquarters (Bangdaebon) on the 18th, as of 0 o’clock the previous day, a total of 621 new cases of Corona 19 in Korea.
On the 13th to 15th, it climbed from 300 to 400 on the 16th for three consecutive days, and then skipped 500 the previous day and went straight to 600.
It was only 38 days after January 10th (657) that the number of confirmed cases per day was in the 600 range.
The number of new confirmed cases to be announced as of 0 o’clock on this day is also expected to reach 600.
The quarantine authorities and local governments, such as the Seoul Metropolitan Government, counted 564 new cases from 0 to 9 pm on the previous day, 33 more than 531 people counted at the same time the previous day.
Recently, the number of new confirmed cases is expected to reach 600 as the number of confirmed cases has only increased to double digits after 9 pm. If there are cases of sudden group outbreaks, it could increase to more than the mid-600s.
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Medical staff and citizens waiting for specimen test▶ Click here to enlarge
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As the number of new confirmed cases increased, red signals were turned on again throughout the quarantine indicators.
For one week (2.11-17), the number of new confirmed cases per day was 504 → 403 → 362 → 326 → 343 → 457 → 621, with an average of 431 cases per day. It reached 405.9.
This corresponds to the range of 2.5 steps of distancing (400-500 or more nationwide, or rapid increase in patients such as doubling). Since the last 2nd (395), it has maintained the mid-to-late 300 level, and then crossed the 400 level again.
One of the anxiety factors is the increasing number of medium-sized or larger group infections.
In the case of major cases, the cumulative number of confirmed cases increased to 129 in just four days after the first confirmed case came out on the 13th of the Asan cricket boiler manufacturing plant in Asan, Gyeonggi Province. Received.
The number of confirmed cases related to Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital (cumulative 140) and Seongdong-gu Hanyang University Hospital (109), where a relatively recent group infection occurred.
◇ New Year’s holiday, the effect of easing distance seems to increase when the full-fledged effect… The trend of confirmed cases until next week
The quarantine authorities have not made a clear judgment on the recent increase in confirmed cases.
The number of tests may have increased as the number of tests decreased to about 20,000 during the holiday season again increased to the level of weekdays (40,000 to 50,000), but it may be that the’latent infections’ hidden in the local community have been revealed one by one.
It is also an embarrassing part for the quarantine authorities that the effects of the Lunar New Year holidays and the easing of distancing steps have not yet been fully reflected.
If the infection spreads in family and relatives’ gatherings during the Lunar New Year holidays, the aftermath is likely to be revealed later this week or next week when considering the incubation period. It is for this reason that the quarantine authorities will keep an eye on the situation until next week.
Group infection cases at family gatherings during the holiday season have already been confirmed one after another across the country.
In Busan, 6 family members who gathered at their parents’ house in Nam-gu on the 11th to 12th were confirmed, followed by 6 people, including the family who visited the parents’ house in Yeongdo-gu, on the 12th of the Lunar New Year.
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Medical staff collecting samples▶ Click here to enlarge
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In Ulsan, six people who visited the homes of other families in Gyeongbuk during the holiday were confirmed, and two families in Gyeongbuk province who attended the meeting were also tested positive and are undergoing treatment.
In addition, similar cases are occurring in Gwangju, Sejong, Gyeongnam, and Bonghwa in Gyeongbuk.
From the 15th, distance distancing (Section 2 in the metropolitan area, 1.5 stages in the non-metropolitan area) was eased one step at a time, and the operating time limit for multi-use facilities in the metropolitan area such as restaurants and cafes increased by one hour from 9pm to 10pm. have.
The quarantine authorities are expected to reinforce quarantine measures if the trend of the increase in the number of confirmed cases remains unabated.
“If the epidemic continues to spread, there is room for consideration to reinforce the measures currently being taken,” said Son Young-rae, head of the social strategy group at the Central Accident Recovery Headquarters at a briefing the day before.
He specifically stated, “The part where the operating time limit (of the multi-use facility) was eased from 9 pm to 10 pm, and the part such as the adjustment of the distancing step is considered a matter that can be reviewed (again) depending on the patient trend.” did.
In the meantime, the timing of applying the new distance system, which the government originally aimed to implement in March, may be delayed.
“We will prepare for the reorganization of the distance system according to schedule while watching what the current trend is going on, but we will comprehensively review the timing of the implementation,” he said. “The issue of the appropriateness of the time will be troubled.”
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