Stricter social distancing is in force in
the greater Seoul area for eight days starting
this Sunday.
To the government and health authorities asked
citizens to adhere to the new rules so life
can go back to normal sooner rather than later.
Our Kim Bo-kyoung tells us more.
From Sunday, South Korea has strengthened
social distancing rules in the capital region...
for a period of eight days until September
6th in an attempt to contain the virus.
Coffee shop chains are not allowed to let
people eat or drink inside they can only get
take-out or delivery.
Restaurants, bakeries and bars in the region
are not allowed to admit customers between
9 PM and 5 AM.
All indoor sports facilities such as gyms
and billiard halls have to close as do study
cafes and private academies in the capital
region have to move their classes online.
Also, newly announced on Sunday, the city
of Seoul is going to reduce the number of
buses operating after 9 PM starting Monday
until September 6th.
This will affect 325 bus routes, excluding
night buses, small neighborhood buses, and
the twenty most crowded routes.
This is in line with Seoul's acting mayor,
Seo Jeong-hyup, asking the city's 10 million
citizens to fully adhere to the quarantine
measures... and give up their normal routines
for just a week.
The health authorities are asking the same.
"These measures require a lot of people to
endure inconveniences. We need to practice
social distancing thoroughly during this short
period of time to stop the virus from spreading.
By implementing these measures, we can shorten
this time of suffering."
On Sunday, South Korea confirmed 299 new cases
of COVID-19.
Of those, 283 were local transmissions, mostly
in the greater capital region comprising Seoul,
Gyeonggi-do Province and Incheon, where there
were 203.
17 new cases were linked to Sarang Jaeil Church
in Seoul's northern Seongbuk-gu District,
bringing the total in that cluster to 1,035.
On top of that, another 62 new cases were
linked to the demonstrations held on August
15th in central Seoul, raising that cluster
to 369.
The outbreak linked to the demonstration is
spreading even to the city of Daegu, which
has confirmed 34 cases so far.
With new cases appearing across the country,...
the health authorities are asking people to
follow personal hygiene guidelines and to
refrain from meeting people so that the country
can overcome the crisis by working together.
Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.
