CLUSTER INFECTIONS CONTINUE

[Anchor Lead]

Seoul has been under level-four social distancing rules for five weeks. However, infections are continuing to increase, showing no signs of abating. Cluster infections are occurring at churches, super markets and other public facilities, making it difficult to curb the ongoing surge. Health authorities again asked the people to avoid traveling and stay home, if possible, during the Liberation Day holiday starting from this weekend.

[Pkg]

So far, forty people have tested positive for the coronavirus after attending an in-person service at a church in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on August 1. The Sunday service was attended by some 50 people. The number of cases originating from a supermarket in Guro-gu has increased to 16. With small-scale cluster infections continuing, Seoul added 661 new cases as of Wednesday midnight. It's the largest daily tally since the nation reported the first COVID-19 case early last year. The latest surge is raging through both the capital and non-capital areas, as the Delta variant is spreading and more people are going on vacation for the summer.

[Soundbite] Sohn Young-rae(Central Disaster Management HQs) : "Transmissions are continuing, as people who got infected during their vacations return home and spread the virus in local communities."

The amount of travel has not decreased at all. Last week, the number of travelers nationwide was over 30 percent higher than that of January when the third wave of infections began subsiding. The government again asked people to refrain from traveling during the Liberation Day holiday starting this weekend.

[Soundbite] Kwon Deok-cheol(Health Minister) : "I ask people to rest at home, instead of travelling for vacations. The government will stage a “stay-at-home” campaign during the National Liberation Day holiday."

Vacationers are advised to take coronavirus tests before returning to daily life, if they visited populated holiday destinations like beaches. All government officials returning to work from vacation are ordered to report if their families have COVID-19 related symptoms. As breakthrough infections have been reported at nursing homes and hospitals, vaccinated staffers working there are instructed to take coronavirus tests regularly in advance. In regions under level-three social distancing, nursing facility employees have to take tests once every two weeks, while weekly testing is required for those in regions under level-four regulations. For nursing home residents, in-person meetings with visitors will continue to be banned in level-four regions and only non-contact meetings will be allowed in level-three areas.