코로나 1,097명 신규확진...정 총리 "전시상황, 중환자 병상 협력 요청"<br /><br />South Korea today has reported another 11hundred new cases of COVID19, the highest singleday total since the pandemic began.<br />Prime Minister Chung Syekyun on Sunday urged help from private hospitals to secure more beds.<br />Yoon Jungmin reports.<br />South Korea reported 1thousand97 new COVID19 cases on Sunday,... the highest daily total so far.<br />Of them, 1thousand72 were locally transmitted.<br />By region, local infections were concentrated in the capital area,... with Seoul adding 470 cases, Gyeonggido Province 244 cases... and Incheon 62.<br />With the situation showing little sign of improving, Prime Minister Chung Syekyun emphasized in a meeting with health officials on Sunday the need to secure more hospital beds for patients who are severely ill.<br />"We should do all we can to secure more hospital beds for the critically ill, and take this as seriously as if we were in a war. I ask for the voluntary cooperation of private hospitals."<br />Speaking to local broadcaster KBS on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that COVID19 vaccinations will start in the first quarter next year, but on a limited basis.<br />He said that the vaccine made by AstraZeneca will be available no later than March,... but those from Pfizer, Janssen and Moderna might not be available by then.<br />South Korea, he said, will soon have contracts with the latter three drugmakers.<br />The Prime Minister said that, in the first quarter, vaccines for around 10 million people will arrive in the country in phases.<br />In the meantime, South Korea has been tightening the social distancing rules at highrisk facilities.<br />Restaurants cannot serve customers in the store after 9 PM, and highrisk facilities like gyms, saunas and singing rooms are closed.<br />Poker pubs will have to close until December 28th... and ski resorts outside the capital area will have to close after 9 PM.<br />Yoon Jungmin, Arirang News.<br />
