JavaScript is off. Please enable to view full site.

S.Korea hits new COVID-19 record, halts quarantine exemptions to block Omicron

S.Korea hits new COVID-19 record, halts quarantine exemptions to block Omicron

Thursday, December 02, 2021, 10:08 GMT+7
S.Korea hits new COVID-19 record, halts quarantine exemptions to block Omicron
People wait in a line to undergo coronavirus disease (COVID-19) test at its testing site in central Seoul, South Korea, December 1, 2021. Photo: Reuters

South Korea's daily coronavirus case numbers rose to a new high on Thursday, as authorities halted quarantine exemptions for fully vaccinated inbound travellers for two weeks in a bid to fend off the Omicron variant.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 5,266 cases for Wednesday, a day after the daily tally rose above 5,000 for the first time amid concerns over a sharp rise in patients with severe symptoms.

South Korea will require a 10-day quarantine for all inbound travellers for two weeks starting Friday, halting exemptions given earlier to fully vaccinated people, the KDCA said.

The measure came after South Korea confirmed its first five cases of the Omicron variant late on Wednesday, including a fully vaccinated couple who arrived last week from Nigeria, followed by two of their family members and a friend.

The government is restricting arrivals from eight countries including South Africa, where the variant was first identified. It will now add Nigeria to the list, effective Friday, while suspending direct flights from Ethiopia starting Saturday, the KDCA said.

"We're on a bumpy path toward a phased recovery of normalcy, and risks from the new Omicron variant are rising," President Moon Jae-in told a meeting with Christian groups on Thursday.

The country has fully inoculated nearly 92% of adults and is now focusing on vaccinating children and a booster programme, but experts have warned that cases could continue to rise due in part to the spread of the potentially more transmissible variant.

The number of cases has spiked since distancing curbs were relaxed last month, and the government this week shelved plans for further easing due to growing strains on its healthcare system from surging hospitalisation and death rates as well as Omicron concerns.

KDCA data showed the number of severe cases rose to a record 733, and 90% of intensive care unit beds in the greater Seoul area are occupied, with 915 patients waiting for admission.

Total infections rose to 457,612, with 3,705 deaths.

Reuters

More

Read more

;

Photos

VIDEOS

‘Taste of Australia’ gala dinner held in Ho Chi Minh City after 2-year hiatus

Taste of Australia Gala Reception has returned to the Park Hyatt Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Vietnamese woman gives unconditional love to hundreds of adopted children

Despite her own immense hardship, she has taken in and cared for hundreds of orphans over the past three decades.

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta celebrates spring with ‘hat boi’ performances

The art form is so popular that it attracts people from all ages in the Mekong Delta

Vietnamese youngster travels back in time with clay miniatures

Each work is a scene caught by Dung and kept in his memories through his journeys across Vietnam

Latest news