코로나19 어제 223명 신규확진, 사흘연속 200명대…지역 193명<br /><br />The number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea has been in the triple digits for nine straight days.<br />And health authorities are mulling over whether to raise social distancing guidelines up a notch.<br />Our Han Seong-woo has more.<br />South Korea recorded 223 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the third day in a row that it has seen over 200 new infections.<br />Of the newly reported cases, 193 were transmitted locally, with Seoul and the surrounding area accounting for 128.<br />These include extra cases stemming from cluster infections at a care center, a military welfare center, and a subway station in Seoul, as well as medical facilities across Gyeonggi-do Province.<br />30 cases were from overseas.<br />Regions outside the capital have also seen numbers rise considerably, with Gangwon-do Province reporting 20 new infections.<br />This has prompted health authorities to seriously consider raising the social distancing level to level 1-point-five in the capital area and Gangwon-do Province.<br />Most of the country has remained at Level 1 under the new five-tier system rolled out earlier this month.<br />But some cities have already raised their measures to Level 1.5.<br />The total number of cases now stands at a little under 28-thousand-8-hundred.<br />55 patients are currently in critical condition and the virus has claimed one more life, bringing the death toll to 494.<br />Han Seong-woo, Arirang News.<br />
