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Today (22nd), the number of new confirmed cases is expected to reach 80,000.

The government plans to lift the quarantine obligations for confirmed cases at the end of next month in line with the declining trend, and it is expected that guidelines will be prepared to recommend isolation for a certain period of time.



Correspondent Park Jae-hyun.



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As of 9:00 pm yesterday evening, the number of new coronavirus cases was 76,430.



The number decreased by more than 10,000 from the 87,000 counted at the same time yesterday.



According to the same time period on Thursday, the number was the lowest in 10 weeks, down by about 123,000 from two weeks ago.



Based on this declining trend, the government is expected to announce whether or not to remove the use of outdoor masks in the second half of next week.



[Sohn Young-rae/Chairman of Social Strategy Team at Central Accident Resolving Headquarters: We are seeing that the adjustment of the outdoor mask will be reviewed a little more from next week.]



Even now, if you fall more than 2 meters, you can take off the outdoor mask, but it is difficult to remove it. Once decided, there will be no penalty for removing the mask within 2 meters.



However, the government said that indoor masks will have to be worn for a considerable period of time to protect high-risk groups.



The quarantine obligation for confirmed patients is planned to be lifted at the end of next month, but the exact timing is under consideration.



The quarantine authorities said, "The lifting of the quarantine obligation means that even if there is no quarantine, there will be no legal punishment."



He also said, "Even if the legal obligation disappears, we are reviewing the preparation of supplementary guidelines that recommend quarantine for a certain period of time just like the seasonal flu."



Currently, schools and daycare centers can suspend school for seasonal flu patients 'until 24 hours have passed after normal body temperature has been restored without fever reducer' according to the guidelines of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



The government also said that it is not considering reducing the quarantine period for confirmed cases to more than one week before the quarantine obligation is lifted.