S. Korea on Thursday sees record 93,135 cases of COVID-19

목요일 신규 확진 93,135명...10만명 육박 Our top story this afternoon. South Korea is expecting to see daily COVID-19 infections reach the 100-thousand mark very soon. While cases continue to mount... education authorities are set on bringing all students back to the classroom in March. But, they said they would provide test-kits for students to use, to make sure they can go to school SAFELY. Shin Ye-eun reports. South Korea on Thursday reported 93-thousand 1-hundred 35 new infections. This is another record-high tally... and a jump of around 3-thousand from a day ago. The number of critically ill patients also went up by 76... to 3-hundred 89. COVID-19 figures are going up as experts forecast. By the beginning of next month, we could possibly see over 200-thousand new cases per day. Despite the rising cases, 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. Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said the Ministry would provide 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… on March 2nd when the new semester starts. 146-point-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 get 4 kits.” 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 on Sundays. 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. But, these guidelines aren't mandatory...which means students and staff won't be punished for going to school untested. There have been mixed reactions to this decision. As of 9:30 am on Thursday... more than 80 thousand people have signed a petition on the Blue House website... against the implementation of self-test kits at kindergartens and elementary schools. Their concern was that this measure would make testing students EVEN WITHOUT SYMPTOMS... become the norm. Meanwhile, some parents said they were relieved that only students who test negative will be in classrooms. Also on Friday, authorities are set to announce the virus prevention measures from next week. The most probable scenario is easing measures like changing the six-person limit on social gatherings, which could be increased to eight people,... and the 9 PM restrictions on restaurant and cafe operating hours, which could be extended to 10 PM. Shin Ye-eun, Arirang News. #COVID19 #Coronavirus #SouthKorea 📣 Arirang News(Facebook) :   / arirangtvnews   📣 Arirang News(Twitter) :   / arirangtvnews   📣 News Center(YouTube) :    / newscenter_arirangtv   2022-02-17, 12:00 (KST)