525 of the new cases were locally transmitted with the capital region accounting for over 300 of them.
The city of Seoul alone has seen over 200 new infections for two days in a row.
These include more than 60 extra cases stemming from a cluster infection at an aerobics center in Gangseo-gu District.
Except the southeastern city of Daegu, all major cities and provinces reported additional cases with 112 coming from Gyeonggi-do Province.
The ongoing third wave poses a threat to the government’s efforts to safely administer the upcoming national college entrance exam, known as ‘Suneung’, which will be taken by 490-thousand students across the country on December third.
In preparation for the worst, health officials are considering raising social distancing levels once more.
“The government discussed today the need to intensify social distancing measures in the Seoul metropolitan area and other regions, and will make a decision as soon as possible after gathering opinions from local authorities and various experts.”
The decision may come as soon as this Sunday but authorities will have to factor in how strengthened guidelines could affect the economy and people’s livelihoods.
Level Two social distancing under the nation’s five-tier system has been in place throughout the Seoul capital area since Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the military has been operating under its own Level 2.5 measures since Thursday due to an outbreak at a military facility in Gyeonggi-do Province.
South Korea’s total caseload stands at 32-thousand 8-hundred-87.
77 patients are currently in critical condition and with one more fatality, the death toll has risen to 516.
Han Seong-woo, Arirang News.
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