S. KOREA REPORTS 2,289 NEW CASES

[Anchor Lead]

As of the midnight on Tuesday, the daily COVID-19 tally increased by 2,289. The growth is smaller than the previous day, due to the so-called weekend effect. However, infections are still surging in the wake of the chuseok holiday. In particular, non-capital areas are reporting a growing number of positive patients, leading to concerns that another wave could rage across the nation.

[Pkg]

In relation to the cluster infections that started at the Garak Market, 23 more people tested positive in a day, bringing the accumulated number to 720. A total of 68 cases were confirmed to be linked to the Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital in Seoul. Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi-do Province reported 837 and 718 cases, respectively. Therefore the capital area accounts for 73.9 percent of the total cases reported in the nation. Non-capital areas represent a little over 26 percent. In particular, a cluster infection has been linked to a restaurant frequented by foreigners in Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, shortly after Chuseok. In Busan, about four in ten recently confirmed patients tested positive after visiting other regions or after coming into contact with patients from other regions. Over the past two weeks, travel routes remained unidentified for nearly four of ten patients, recording the highest level since related statistics were first compiled. With the growing difficulty to trace the infection source, the Seoul city government has improved epidemiological investigation standards. Under the new guidelines, it places top priority on isolating those that came into contact with the infected.

[Soundbite] Park Yoo-mi(Seoul City Gov’t) : "For epidemiological investigations, we are shifting from tracing down the infection source to quickly identifying and isolating those that came into contact with the infected."

The government recommends shortening the hospitalization period of COVID-19 patients from the current ten days to a week. The measure is to prevent a shortage in hospital beds, although the number of seriously ill patients is not rising significantly yet thanks to expanded vaccinations. On Friday, the government plans to announce new social distancing rules that will take effect starting from October 4. It seems that the current strict rules will likely be maintained, as there is a series of holidays approaching next month.