Level 1.5 social distancing measures take effect in the greater Seoul area Updated: 2020-11-19 07:57:53 KST

We start with the COVID-19 situation here in South Korea.
Starting today, new social distancing measures are in place in the capital area to contain the spread from small gatherings and so on.
Also, two weeks ahead of the college entrance exam, the health authorities are taking stricter virus prevention measures until the big test.
We have Choi Won-jong on the line for us.
Won-jong, what can you tell us?

Mok-yeon, the newly-raised one.five social distancing measures took effect in the Greater Seoul area from today.
Health authorities said this week that they were raising the level one notch in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the capital.
The heightened measures will be felt particularly in high-risk facilities such as bars, clubs, and religious facilities.
Schools are also limiting their attendances to two-thirds their total student capacity.
With under two weeks until the 2021 college entrance exam, health authorities are working to prevent large cluster infections breaking out.
According to the education ministry on Thursday, the government is beginning a special virus control period for two weeks.
During this period, the government will urge facilities such as study cafes, cram schools, and PC rooms, to strengthen virus control measures for two weeks.
If a student tests positive from a cram school, the government said they will release that cram school’s information to minimize the chance for more infections.

Wonjong, the national caseload of COVID-19 is closing in on 30-thousand and new daily cases have also crept back up into the 300-range

Mokyeon, you are right.
South Korea’s daily cases keep steadily ticking up.
On Thursday, the nation reported 343 new cases of COVID-19, a slight rise from yesterday’s numbers.
Of today’s, 293 cases were local transmissions.
Fifty from overseas.
On Thursday, 107 new cases of local transmissions were from Seoul alone, and 59 cases were reported in Gyeonggi-do Province and 11 in Incheon.
Two additional deaths were reported, raising the death toll to 4-hundred 98 deaths.
That’s all I have for you for now, I will have more updates later newscast.