<Anchor> As of



9 pm yesterday (8th), the number of new corona patients has already exceeded 1,170. It recorded the highest number of confirmed cases since the outbreak yesterday, and today it is expected to reach around 1,300, an increase from yesterday. It has been confirmed that the government has decided to implement the fourth level, the highest level of new distancing, in the metropolitan area in response to such a rapid increase. The government is announcing this this morning.



Correspondent Jang Se-man.



<Reporter>



Yesterday morning, the Minister of Health and Welfare chaired the meeting, and in the afternoon, the Prime Minister presided over a breath-taking meeting.



An official from the quarantine authorities said in a phone call with SBS, "It was discussed to implement the new 4th stage of distancing in the entire metropolitan area from next Monday."



There was also talk of uploading only Seoul, where the number of confirmed cases is the most, but it is said that upgrading the entire metropolitan area is the most likely because of the common living area.



The government urgently decided to upgrade to Level 4 because of the uncontrollable spread of infection.



Yesterday, 1,275 confirmed cases were the highest since the outbreak of Corona 19, 35 more than the previous high on December 25 last year.



People in their 20s and 50s accounted for 79% of all patients, and the metropolitan area was 81%.



[Jung Eun-kyung/Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: If the current level is maintained (the number of patients at the end of July), it can reach the level of 1,400, and if the current situation worsens, it is predicted that there will be more than 2,000.]



Even if the distance is strengthened, the effect of reducing the number of confirmed cases will appear after about a week.



For this reason, it has been confirmed that the opinion of the government to announce the 4th stage upgrade today and implement it from next Monday came from inside the government.



In step 4 of the new distance, only two people can gather after 6 pm, and no exceptions are allowed for immediate family members.



In addition, restaurants and cafes, as well as marts and PC rooms, are closed until 10 pm, and only relatives are allowed to attend weddings and funerals.



The limit for gatherings of 3 or more may be applied from tomorrow.