S. Korea may see number of new COVID-19 cases on Thurs. go as high as 100,000
오후 9시에 이미 9만228명 확진…내일 10만명 근접 예상 We start with the worsening COVID-19 situation in South Korea. Officials are forecasting yet another record number of daily infections on Thursday...this time possibly in the six-figure range for the first time. For more, our reporter Shin Ye-eun is in the studio. Good morning, Ye-eun. Good morning. Start us off with the daily figure we're expecting today. Thursday's figure may reach the 100-thousand mark. Up to 9pm Wednesday, the country reported 90-thousand 228 infections. This was an increase of more than 5-thousand from yesterday's previous record-high for the same period. We're seeing figures double, just like authorities had forecast. Health experts say that, based on how fast Omicron is spreading right now, daily figures could be in the 200-thousands by early next month. Education authorities in South Korea are still planning on having students return to classrooms in the spring semester. However, they've been sharing how they plan to keep students safe during this wave.... Sure. Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae shared the ministry's plan for how schools should start the new semester in March...SAFELY. Their main strategy is providing more than 60 million rapid antigen test kits to all students and staff from kindergartens up to high schools... free of charge. “We have secured a total of 60.5 million test kits… which are enough to last 5 weeks… from the fourth week of February to the fifth week of March. We are making preparations… to distribute them to students and schools… when the new semester starts on March 2nd. 146.4 billion won from our education budget… will be allocated to this effort,… and each student will receive 9 test kits… while faculty members will receive 4.” The ministry recommended all students test themselves twice a week... preferably on Sunday and Wednesday nights. All staff are being asked to test themselves weekly before Monday. Students and staff should then share their results with their schools... using the self-test kit app. Those who test positive, need to get a PCR test. Self-testing children isn't mandatory...however, I understand officials say it's highly recommended? That's right. The Ministry is just providing a general guideline. Students and staff won't be punished for going to school untested. But, there's been mixed reactions towards this latest decision. While some parents are saying they're relieved that only students who test negative will PHYSICALLY go to the classrooms...others are saying that it seems like testing students EVEN WITHOUT SYMPTOMS...will become the norm. Some teachers and staff were also against the Ministry's decision...citing that it would cause a lot of confusion once the semester begins. They added rapid antigen test kits won't do enough to prevent cluster infections...given that they're not as accurate as PCR tests. As of Thursday, 6:30 am here in Seoul...over 80 thousand people signed a petition uploaded on the Blue House... against the implementation of self-test kits at kindergartens and elementary schools. On the global front now. European countries, hit hardest by Omicron, have been seeing big drops in new infections. As a result, they are easing some of their measures.... That's right. According to the WHO, the number of COVID-19 infections around the world from February 7th to the 13th came down by 19 percent...compared to the previous week. Europe, in particular, saw an on-week drop of 16 percent. That's why France reopened its nightclubs from Wednesday, local time. Last December, French authorities had closed nightclubs completely. But now, those with a vaccine pass, meaning people who are fully-vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 within the past six months, can enter, with no cap on the number of people inside. France will also lift mask mandates at indoor facilities that only allow those with vaccine passes to enter from February 28th. Switzerland will also be lifting most of its virus prevention measures. Starting Thursday, they will allow everyone...regardless of vaccination status...to enter restaurants and stores. It's worth noting though that 90 percent of its population has either been fully vaccinated or recovered after catching the virus. As the global COVID-19 situation seems to be clearing up, Moderna's CEO Stephane Bancel said in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday that it's reasonable to consider the pandemic as being almost over. Bancel said that there's "about an 80% chance" that as the virus evolves, it will become "less and less virulent." Alright, thank you for your report Ye-eun. #COVID19 #Coronavirus #SouthKorea 📣 Arirang News(Facebook) : / arirangtvnews 📣 Arirang News(Twitter) : / arirangtvnews 📣 News Center(YouTube) : / newscenter_arirangtv 2022-02-17, 08:00 (KST)
