RESURGENCE OF COVID-19 CASES IN SEOUL

[Anchor Lead]

More than 440 new cases were reported in Seoul between last Friday and Tuesday as of 12am. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will secure more hospital beds and quarantine facilities to meet the surging demand.

[Pkg]

​In Seoul, which reported the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in recent days, the virus is widely spreading to churches, nursing homes and companies. In addition to infections from Sarang Jeil Church, four more members of Doesaegim Church in Yangcheon-gu District tested positive for the virus. This brings the total number of patients linked to this cluster to eleven. One more nurse was confirmed to be infected at Seoul Bukbu Hospital, which accepted patients from a nursing home in Gwanak-gu District. Two more employees of a gold investment company in Gangnam-gu District tested positive, bringing the accumulated number of patients related to this group infection to 58. Six more new cases were reported from a private IT education institute located in the same district. A software developer in Yeongdeungpo-gu District reported six more new patients.

[Soundbite] PARK YOO-MI(SEOUL CITY GOV'T) : "The current situation is very grave. We will review imposing stricter social distancing rules after monitoring the situation over the next one or two days."

With 60 percent of some 780 hospital beds already occupied, the Seoul city government plans to increase facilities to treat and quarantine coronavirus patients. Starting Wednesday, it will operate a treatment facility with some 380 sick beds at the Taereung National Training Center in northeastern Seoul. The city government will then turn the Korea Electric Power Corporation's personnel training center into a coronavirus treatment facility with 250 sick beds. Starting tomorrow, a private hotel with 196 rooms will accommodate those in self-isolation. Currently, all religious establishments in the capital are subject to a strict assembly restriction. All gatherings and meetings outside of weekly regular services will be banned. The Seoul Metropolitan Government warned that high-risk facilities, such as entertainment businesses, singing rooms and Internet cafes, can be shut down temporarily if the situation gets worse.