South Korea recorded the highest daily death toll from the coronavirus, health authorities said Monday, as an increase in infections is straining the health system and prompting police attacks in establishments suspected of being infected social distance rules, Reuters reports.
As of midnight Sunday, there were a further 24 deaths, bringing the country’s total to 698, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.
There were a further 926 coronavirus cases, down from a high of 1,097 the previous day.
The recent rise in cases has brought in efforts and the country is running short of hospital beds, prompting a debate about whether the government should implement tougher social pace measures.
On Sunday, only four beds of intensive care units were left in the larger Seoul area, according to health officials.
The government has ordered private hospitals to free more than 300 beds for use for coronavirus patients, and has allocated $ 4.5 million to pay for the facilities.
Health officials have said that imposing the country’s maximum social distance restrictions is only a last resort.
The city of Seoul is considering going beyond national rules to ban gatherings of more than five, starting the day before the Christmas holidays, Yonhap news agency reported.
On Friday, Seoul police and health inspectors stopped late incidents on 60 businesses including bars and karaoke clubs suspected of going through routine rules, the city said in a statement Monday.
Thirty-five people, including business owners and consumers, were charged with a crime, the statement said.