A man wearing a face mask exercises during a lunch break at a park in Seoul, Nov. 3. AP-Yonhap
A man wearing a face mask exercises during a lunch break at a park in Seoul, Nov. 3. AP-Yonhap


New COVID-19 infections stayed above 2,000 for the fourth consecutive day Friday following the government’s relaxing of its social distancing measures under its “Living with COVID-19” plan that allows people to gradually return to normalcy.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 2,248 new cases, including 2,219 local ones, raising the total caseload to 377,712.
Friday’s number is down from 2,344 cases for the previous day but still substantially larger than this week’s low of 1,589, Tuesday.
The country’s daily infection tally has remained in the quadruple digits since July 7.
The death toll rose by 20 ― for the third consecutive day ― to 2,956 with a fatality rate of 0.78 percent.
The health authorities are worried about potential upticks in cases following the Halloween weekend after once-empty popular nightlife districts bustled again with visitors.

The authorities implemented eased social distancing rules Monday under the “Living with COVID-19” plan after the country achieved its initial target of fully vaccinating 70 percent of the population.
Currently, private gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed in the capital area, regardless of vaccinations. Still, wearing a face mask indoors is mandatory.

While restrictions on multiuse facilities, such as restaurants, cafes and movie theaters, are fully lifted, nightlife establishments, such as bars and clubs, are required to implement a “vaccine pass” system where visitors have to show they have been fully vaccinated or have had a recent negative test result.

The KDCA said 39.2 million people, or 76.5 percent of the country’s population, have been fully vaccinated and 41.4 million, or 80.8 percent, have received their first shots.

So far, 365,066 cases of suspected post-vaccination side effects have been reported, with 4,839 counted in the past three days, but 96.4 percent of these involved mild symptoms, such as muscle pain or fever.

Of the new locally transmitted cases, Seoul reported 912, with the surrounding Gyeonggi Province logging 687, and Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, 142.

There were 29 cases from overseas, raising the cumulative total of imported cases to 15,223.
The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 411, up 29 from a day earlier, the KDCA said. This is the first time since Aug. 31 that the number of patients in a serious condition has surpassed 400.
To prepare for a possible surge in COVID-19 patients, the government issued an administrative order Friday for medical facilities in the capital area to secure additional intensive care beds. (Yonhap)


New cases over 2,000 for 4th day amid relaxed virus curbs
Source: Buhay Kapa PH