The community spread of the coronavirus continues to worsen in South Korea like much of the rest of the northern hemisphere that is entering winter:
South Korea’s single-day coronavirus cases broke the 1,000-mark for the first time on Sunday, prompting President Moon Jae-in to warn that the country will have to consider enforcing the toughest level of social distancing unless the current spread is curbed.
The country added 1,030 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,002 local infections, raising the total caseload to 42,766, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Sunday’s daily caseload jumped from the previous day’s record high of 950, marking the highest since the country reported its first COVID-19 case in January.
Yonhap
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The spread of COVID continues to worsen in South Korea:
South Korea’s new virus cases neared 700 on Wednesday on soaring community infections in the greater Seoul area despite toughened social distancing measures.
The country reported 686 new virus cases, including 662 domestically transmitted ones, raising the total caseload to 39,432, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
Of the 686 new virus cases, 524 were reported in the greater Seoul area, covering Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, just west of Seoul.
Yonhap
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Much like in neighboring South Korea, coronavirus infections in Japan continue to rise new record levels with people in their 20’s and 30’s leading the surge:
Tokyo confirmed a single-day record 584 new cases of the coronavirus Saturday, a significant rise from Friday’s 449 new infections.
Osaka Prefecture, meanwhile, registered 399 new infections, it’s fifth straight day reporting at least 300, while Aichi Prefecture recorded 219.
Other large case loads were reported in the prefectures of Kanagawa, with 192, Hokkaido, 183, Saitama, 168, Hyogo, 151, and Chiba, 74.
The number of severe COVID-19 infections in the capital rose by two from the previous day to 55. The daily figure was based on 7,624 tests, the metropolitan government said in a statement.
Among the new cases, those in their 20s had the highest number at 137, followed by those in their 30s at 110 and people in their 40s at 95. Infections among those 65 or older totaled 88.
Japan Times
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Here is the latest restrictions going into place in Seoul to combat the spread of COVID-19:
The Seoul city government said Friday that stores, movie theaters and multiple other facilities must close after 9 p.m. for two weeks starting this weekend to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jeong-hyup announced the new restriction during a virtual press briefing, saying the measure will go into force Saturday amid worries over spiking cases in the capital recently. (……..)
Businesses subject to the new restriction include stores, movie theaters, internet cafes, game arcades, private academies, study halls, amusement parks, beauty salons, barber shops, large grocery stores and department stores. They can reopen at 5 a.m.
Exceptions will be made for small grocery stores and other shops that are less than 300 square meters in size and for restaurants offering takeout and delivery.
Buses and subways will run on a 30 percent reduced schedule after 9 p.m. The restriction will apply to buses starting Saturday and to subways starting Tuesday.
Yonhap
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The cases continue to rise, but South Korea continues to maintain an extremely low number of deaths:
The daily number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea bounced back to over 500 again Wednesday, adding to concerns that the country faces a bigger wave of the pandemic in winter amid tougher social distancing measures.
The country added 511 more COVID-19 cases, including 493 local infections, raising the total caseload to 35,163, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It reported no additional coronavirus fatalities, bringing the total to 526.
Yonhap
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Like many reports from North Korea who knows how true this report this:
North Korea appears to be enforcing home classes for elementary school students as a way to avoid classroom gatherings amid nationwide anti-coronavirus efforts, according to state media reports.
Uriminzokkiri, one of the North’s propaganda websites, said that elementary school teachers in Pyongyang are visiting homes of their students every three days for education as vacation continues.
“With the vacation for kids in place, such a new schedule has been started,” the website said. “As long as there are kids, this holds true for any district, ward and unit.”
The North had extended winter vacation for students until early June amid the global coronavirus pandemic. The report suggests that the North has extended summer vacation again by delaying the start of autumn semesters.
Yonhap
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The ROK military has now been locked down on post to help stop the spread of the coronavirus in South Korea:
The military decided to temporarily ban all troops from vacationing and taking off-installation trips after cluster infections were reported at an Army boot camp amid a nationwide spike in virus cases, the defense ministry said Thursday.
Until Dec. 7, all troops will be subject to tightened social distancing rules in barracks, with vacationing and off-installation visits to be suspended starting Friday, according to the ministry.
Officers are restricted from having private meetings, while in-person religious gatherings and business trips are also banned.
“Troops who violate the rules, resulting in a COVID-19 infection or its spread to others will be strongly reprimanded,” the ministry said in a release.
Yonhap
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Just like South Korea Japan is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases with Yokota Airbase being the hotspot for the US military in Japan:
Japan is experiencing a coronavirus spike that began Nov. 3 with 468 new cases and rose to 1,694 on Sunday, just shy of the pandemic peak of 1,998 on Aug. 3, according to data from the World Health Organization. Japan recorded 1,190 new patients on Tuesday for a pandemic total of 119,326 cases and 1,903 deaths.
The capital, Tokyo, on Wednesday reported 493 people newly infected, its highest daily total thus far, according to public broadcaster NHK. The previous peak, 472, occurred Aug. 1, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government website.
Tokyo exceeded 300 new daily cases for four days last week ending Saturday. A panel of experts is expected to recommend the city raise its public health alert level to the highest of four stages, NHK reported Wednesday.
Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo recorded its highest one-day total, 14 new cases, including one at the base high school, on Wednesday, according to a base Facebook post and a letter from the school principal to staff and families.
Stars & Stripes
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