South Korea on Sunday reported 1,030 new cases of the coronavirus, a record that illustrates Seoul’s difficulty in containing its third epidemic wave.
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The country has long been set up as a model for managing the health crisis, thanks to a very thorough strategy of testing and tracing of people who have come into contact with patients, but also a great respect for instructions. social distancing.
But an epidemic resurgence in Seoul and its region has surprised the country in recent weeks and has forced President Moon Jae-in to apologize, in a Facebook post, about the difficulties his government has faced with this. new wave.
On Saturday, he spoke of a “very serious” situation, as South Korea announced 950 new infections, which was already a record since the start of the pandemic.
Authorities on Sunday reported 1,002 new cases of local transmission and 28 new imported cases. Nearly 800 of these new cases have been recorded in the Seoul area, which is home to half of the country’s population.
The increase observed this weekend comes after a series of days when the number of new cases hovered between 500 and 600, and despite a tightening of restrictions ordered this week in the area of the capital.
Events, especially sporting events, cannot accommodate more than 50 people or spectators, cafes can only serve take-out drinks and restaurants must close at 9 p.m.
At the start of the year, South Korea was one of the first countries affected by the pandemic that originated in China. But it had almost come to the end of it thanks to its system of “trace, test, treat”, without ever having to impose brutal confinements on Europe or other regions of the world.