S.Korea to extend toughest social-distancing rules

Seoul, Aug 20 South Korea on Friday announced its decision to extend the toughest social-distancing rules in the capital area for two more weeks amid the continued Covid-19 resurgence.

The Level 4 social-distancing guideline, the highest in the country's four-tier quarantine rules, will be kept in place in Seoul, its surrounding Gyeonggi province and the western port city of Incheon until September 5, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said.

It came as the country's fourth resurgence showed no sign of abating, reports Xinhua news agency.

On Friday, South Korea reported 2,052 more Covid-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 232,859.

It marked the third-highest daily tally since the country's first case was found in January last year.

The daily caseload hovered above 1,000 for 45 straight days.

The fourth resurgence was attributable to cluster infections in the greater Seoul area.

Of the new cases, 549 were Seoul residents. The number of people residing in Gyeonggi province and Incheon who tested positive were 633 and 117 each.

Under the Level 4 rules, the business hour of restaurants and cafes will be shortened to 9 p.m. from the previous 10 p.m., but the number of people who are allowed to gather after 6 p.m. will be increased from the previous two to four, including two people who are fully vaccinated.

The fully inoculated people refer to those who received the second dose of vaccine two weeks ago.

In the daytime, the gathering of as many as four people is allowed under the Level 4 guideline.

The virus spread also raged in the non-metropolitan areas.

The number of newly infected people in the non-capital region was 702, or 35.1 percent of the total local transmission.

In the non-capital areas, the Level 3 social-distancing guideline will be maintained until September 5.

Under the Level 3 guideline, any private gathering of five or more people is prohibited, and the multi-use facilities, such as restaurants and cafes, can be run until 10 p.m.

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