<Anchor> As of

yesterday (22nd) 0 o'clock, the number of new corona19 confirmed cases was 332, with over 300 cases occurring for two consecutive days. The second stage of social distancing, which was applied only to the metropolitan area, will be expanded nationwide starting today with confirmed cases in 17 provinces nationwide. 

Reporter Deokgi Yoo reports.

<Reporter> As of

yesterday at 0 o'clock, the number of corona19 confirmed cases totaled 332.

Following the day before yesterday, 300 people occurred for two consecutive days.

New confirmed cases came out simultaneously in all 17 provinces, and this is the first time since the first corona19 confirmed in Korea.

Accordingly, the government is expanding the nationwide step 2 of social distancing, which was implemented in some areas such as the metropolitan area and Busan.

The government sees this weekend as a milestone for the re-proliferation of Corona 19, but if the spread does not stop, it is considering a three-step upgrade.

[Sae-Kyun Jeong/Prime Minister (Yesterday, Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters Meeting): If the social distancing is raised to three stages, a huge blow to the economy of the common people and the lives of the people will be inflicted. We ask for your patience and cooperation.]

Starting today, 12 kinds of high-risk facilities such as entertainment bars, large academies, and buffets will be closed nationwide.

In addition, meetings and events in which 50 or more indoors and 100 or more outdoors gather face-to-face are prohibited, and sporting events such as professional sports events are turned into unattended again.

However, local governments with a small number of patients and cases of group infection, such as Gangwon-do and Gyeongbuk, are mitigated to the recommended level rather than compulsory.

Kindergartens and elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide are also entering the second stage of social distancing.

Like the metropolitan area and Busan, where the two-step measures were previously implemented, kindergartens and elementary and junior high schools nationwide should limit the number of attendance to less than one-third of all students and two-thirds of high schools.

For school and parent readiness, this action will take effect next Wednesday.