<Anchor> The



number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases is 200,000 for the third day, passing the peak of the epidemic and gradually decreasing.

From tomorrow (the 4th), you can gather up to 10 people, and the business hours will be increased by one hour to 12:00 PM.

There is a possibility that the distancing will be completely lifted in two weeks, but it is pointed out that the medical system needs to be managed stably in order to safely return to the awaited daily life.



Reporter Kim Deok-hyun reports.



<Reporter> The



number of new confirmed cases, which peaked at 620,000 on the 17th of last month, is on a downward trend.



80,000 fewer than last week and 100,000 fewer than two weeks ago.



Reflecting this situation, the government will further ease the distance from tomorrow.



The number of private gatherings will be from 8 to 10 people regardless of whether or not they are vaccinated, and the business hours limit for restaurants and cafes will also be extended by an additional hour until midnight.



[Kwon Deok-cheol / Minister of Health and Welfare (the day before): It is analyzed that the effect of suppressing the epidemic of distancing has decreased compared to the previous Delta.

Even if social distancing is eased, the number of confirmed cases is expected to increase by only 10-20%...

.]



The government explains that if the number of severe cases and deaths, which appear 2 to 3 weeks after the peak, is stable, all social distancing except indoor masks can be lifted after 2 weeks.



Above all, a stable transition to a routine healthcare system is key to this.



Since last week, face-to-face treatment for corona patients at local hospitals and clinics has been expanded one after another.



[Sohn Young-rae/Chief of Social Strategy Team, Central Accident Remediation Headquarters (former days): The basic direction is to expand the daily medical needs to be satisfied through these outpatient treatment centers.]



Separation of on-site movement lines to avoid overloading the medical system, etc. Experts point out that it requires careful management.



More than 90% of the deaths are from the elderly over the age of 60, so the government plans to reduce the death rate by intensively managing nursing hospitals and facilities.



On the other hand, the quarantine authorities said that there have been no confirmed cases of recombinant mutations such as XE mutation and delta clone, which are a combination of Omicron and Stealth Omicron, so far in Korea.



(Video editing: Seunghee Lee)