South Korea Sees a Surge in COVID‑19 Cases – Is a Fourth Wave on the Horizon?
On Thursday, April 8, the nation’s daily COVID‑19 tally jumped to 700 new cases, the highest number reported since the early days of January. The spike comes after an average of 477 new infections per day over the previous week, sparking fresh worries that the country might be stepping into a fourth wave.
What’s Driving the Upswing?
- New social distancing rules are likely to be needed, according to Prime Minister Chung Sye‑kyun.
- The Prime Minister warned that a new wave could disrupt the vaccination programme, which already faces delays as the global vaccine‑sharing scheme COVAX struggles to deliver promised doses.
- South Korea has paused the deployment of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people under 60, awaiting European reviews.
- Vaccination officials are torn between restarting AstraZeneca shots this weekend and ensuring public safety.
- To speed up the rollout, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was approved by authorities.
New Restrictions on the Horizon
Officials are preparing to introduce a fresh set of restrictions by Friday, April 9. For now, gatherings of more than four people are already limited.
Numbers that Matter
- Total infections so far: 107,598
- Deaths: 1,758
- First shots administered to over one million South Koreans since February
With the country navigating vaccine supply hiccups, a sudden spike in cases, and looming restrictions, South Korea is in a race against time to keep its communities safe. The next few days will be crucial in determining how the nation tackles the potential fourth wave.
