South Korea to reinstate distancing curbs amid spike in COVID-19 cases

SEOUL: South Korea said on Thursday it will reinstate social distancing rules a month-and-a-half after lifting them under a 'living with COVID-19' policy, as spiralling numbers of both new infections and serious cases threaten to overwhelm its medical system.

Curbs will return from Saturday to Jan 2, limiting gatherings to no more than four people - as long as they are vaccinated - and forcing restaurants, cafes and nightly entertainment facilities to close by 9pm and movie theatres and internet cafes by 10pm, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said.The measures came a day after South Korea posted another new record daily coronavirus tally amid a persistent spike in breakthrough infections among those vaccinated and serious cases.

More than 94 per cent of South Korean adults are fully vaccinated, but the number of new cases has surged nearly five-fold and the number of serious cases tripled since the rules were eased last month, adding to strains on the country's medical system.

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S. Korea marks deadliest day of pandemic as hospitals buckleSouth Korea on Tuesday marked its deadliest day of the pandemic as an unrelenting, delta-driven spread stretched thin hospitals and left people dying while waiting for beds. Health experts warn that the country’s medical system is quickly approaching its limits and that fatalities could worsen if the government continues to be slow and hesitant in tightening social distancing. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 94 virus patients died in the past 24 hours while a record 906 were in serious or critical condition. The 5,567 new infections were the highest yet for a Tuesday — daily tallies are usually smaller at the start of the week because of fewer tests on weekends – indicating the virus has continued to gain speed after the government moderately tightened social distancing last week.
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