코로나19 어제 223명 신규확진, 사흘연속 200명대…지역 193명<br /><br />Our starting point tonight: the troubling number of daily Covid cases here in South Korea.<br />With the nation having reported 223 for today, it marks the ninth day that the virus tally has been in the triple digits.<br />What's worrying experts is the R naught at 1-point-1-2... which means each sick person is infecting more than one person, on average, so the outbreak will grow.<br />It's leading authorities to consider raising the social distancing level in the greater Seoul area and the eastern Gangwon-do Province.<br />Han Seong-woo leads our coverage tonight.<br />South Korea recorded 2-hundred-23 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the third day in a row of over 2-hundred new infections.<br />Of the newly reported cases, 1-hundred-93 were transmitted locally, with Seoul and the surrounding area accounting for 1-hundred-28.<br />These include extra cases stemming from cluster infections at a nursing home, a military welfare center, a subway station in Seoul, and 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-5 in the capital area and Gangwon-do Province.<br />"Gangwon-do Province has surpassed the threshold of ten to average 13-point-9 new cases over a one week period.The central government is discussing with local authorities whether to adjust the social distancing level in the capital area and Gangwon-do Province."<br />Most of the country has remained at Level One under the new five-tier system.<br />But some cities, like Cheonan and Asan in Chungcheongnam-do Province have already raised their measures to Level 1-point-5.<br />Meanwhile, the defense ministry said it will adopt Level 1-point-5 social distancing for military units in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon-do Province for two weeks starting Tuesday, following a series of infections in the regions.<br />And with the annual college entrance exam 'Suneung' now less than three weeks away, the resurgence has put parents and the educational sector on high alert.<br />Officials are advising cram schools to refrain from holding in-person classes starting next Thursday.<br />The total number of COVID-19 cases now stands at a little under 28-thousand-8-hundred.<br />55 patients are currently in critical condition and with one more fatality, the death toll has risen to 4-hundred-94.<br />Han Seong-woo, Arirang News.<br />
