S. Korea puts reopening plans into reverse as cases soar, Omicron spreads

Commuters wearing masks to avoid contracting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) walk on a zebra crossing in Seoul, South Korea, September 24, 2021. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

SEOUL — South Korea moved to tighten limits on gatherings again and expanded the use of mandatory vaccine passes as new COVID-19 cases in Korea hovered around the 5,000 mark for several days.

According to health authorities, 5,128 new cases were tallied as of midnight Saturday, pushing the cumulative total to over 473,034. Although the latest figure is down 224 from the previous day, it is the highest the country has recorded for a Saturday, when figures typically drop due to the smaller number of tests carried out over the weekend.

The number of patients in serious and critical condition also continued to remain high, at 744.

The number of COVID-19 patients confirmed to have the new Omicron variant has also risen to 12, with three more individuals being confirmed Saturday.

Of the 12, four appear to have contracted the variant abroad, and eight were infected locally through direct and indirect contact with the four who arrived in Korea from Nigeria on Nov. 24.

The four initial cases are a husband and wife living in Incheon with connections to a church in the city, and two women in their 50s based in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

According to the authorities, the Incheon residents spread the variant to their teenage son, and an acquaintance. The acquaintance then spread the virus to his wife, mother-in-law, and another acquaintance. The authorities believe that the latest three confirmed with omicron variant infection contracted the virus from the Incheon couple’s acquaintance.

The authorities are currently monitoring 1,088 individuals who came into contact with confirmed omicron patients in Incheon, of whom 522 have been categorized as having come into close contact with the confirmed patients.

With record daily figures, the country is set to go into toughened social distancing measures for four weeks from Monday, putting on hold the plans to return to normal.

From Monday, private gatherings will be limited to six people in Seoul and the surrounding regions, and to eight in other parts of the country.

The limit on private gatherings will be enforced regardless of vaccination status, and only one unvaccinated person will be allowed in such gatherings. Unvaccinated people will only be allowed to use restaurants and cafes alone, or with fully vaccinated individuals within the limited numbers.

Vaccine passes will also be required at a wider range of facilities including cafes and restaurants, private academies, cinemas and theaters, PC rooms, indoor sports stadiums, museums and galleries.

The government plans to gradually expand the application of vaccine passes starting next year, and include those aged 12-18 from February.