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A screening center in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo District on Nov. 3. (Yonhap News)

South Korea’s infectious disease control authorities say that since the novel coronavirus pandemic is now raging around the world, Koreans need to abide by disease control regulations to prevent infections from occurring at routine locations such as schools, fitness centers, and saunas.

“In the Northern Hemisphere, infections are rapidly increasing not only in North America and Europe but also in parts of the Middle East,” said Kwon Jun-wook, deputy director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, during the daily briefing on Nov. 3.

“I would describe this not as a second wave of COVID-19 but rather as the prelude to a full-fledged pandemic.”

Disease control authorities predicted that the total number of global confirmed cases will exceed 50 million early next week.

Kwon acknowledged that South Korea has been suppressing the level of infections overall but added that there could be another surge of cases at any time.

Major cluster outbreaks of COVID-19 in South Korea on Tuesday included four more cases linked to a music academy in Seoul and six more cases at a middle school and fitness center in the Seoul Capital Area.

Infections continue to crop up in everyday activities, including two more infections at an alumni golf club in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

Although disease control authorities have asked people to refrain from gathering in large numbers, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) continues to receive tips through a public safety app about events carrying a high risk of infection. Those activities include indoor gatherings of more than a hundred people and school reunions that bring together people from around the country for hotel meals or overnight stays at lodgings in the countryside.

“We ask that people faithfully abide by the disease control regulations that we have repeatedly emphasized, including eating separate portions of food, wearing masks when attending various end-of-the-year events, practicing hand hygiene, maintaining two meters of distance from other people, regularly airing rooms out, and sanitizing surfaces. We also ask that anyone with symptoms that are even slightly suspicious, such as a fever or a cough, get quickly tested,” Kwon said.

By Suh Hye-mi, staff reporter

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