<Anchor>
Some restrictions on business were lifted, but the ban on gathering more than 5 people privately was extended until the end of this month.
Today (18th), the number of new confirmed cases is expected to reach 400, and the quarantine authorities said they would decide whether to lift the ban on meetings of five or more people during the Lunar New Year holiday, looking at how much these new cases will be given over the next two weeks.
This is reporter Kim Soo-young.
<Reporter>
Over the past week, the average number of new confirmed cases per day has fallen to 516.
That's more than 200 people less than a week ago.
Today, the number of new confirmed cases is expected to hit 400.
The quarantine authorities said that the third epidemic is on the decline, but exceeds the standard for the second stage of distancing.
[Son Young-rae / Head of Social Strategy Division, Central Accident Control Headquarters: The current trend is intensively occurring in certain facilities such as churches and nursing hospitals, and in most other cases, meetings and contacts between family and friends...
.] The
number of confirmed cases related to the Sangju BTJ Universal Center increased by 7 to 763, and the Jinju International Prayer Center also had more than 100 confirmed cases.
In Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, 10 people, including 7 users, 1 teacher, and 2 family members, were infected in a small tutoring room.
In particular, the quarantine authorities urged religious facilities that have been able to worship face-to-face from today to strictly limit activities other than regular worship services.
It also announced that it would observe the decline in the future as to whether or not to continue distancing measures, such as banning private gatherings with more than 5 people until the 31st, until the New Year holidays next month.