Anchor: South Korea reported 494 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, with the country's cumulative total reaching 100-thousand-770. The latest tally is the largest single-day increase in 35 days. With daily cases fluctuating in the 300s and 400s, the government extended current social distancing levels for another two weeks.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Friday said Level Two social distancing in the greater metropolitan region and One-point-Five in the rest of the country will be maintained for another two weeks until April 11.

The extended distancing set to take effect on Monday comes after the average daily local infections, a key barometer for distancing, remain in the 400s for the third consecutive week.

Aside from distancing rules, private meetings of five or more people will continue to be banned, with the exception of events such as weddings and funerals, where under 100 people are allowed.

Multipurpose facilities, such as restaurants, coffee shops and indoor gyms, in the Seoul metropolitan area can only operate until 10:00 p.m.

Officials, meanwhile, reinforced rules for dance studios amid recent cases involving such facilities, allowing one person for every eight square meters and banning food service with the exception of water and non-alcoholic beverages.

Nine more types of venues such as art galleries, libraries and indoor playrooms for children will be subject to quarantine regulations.

In addition to mandatory mask wearing and keeping entry logs, the facilities will now be required to also restrict entry of those with symptoms and to prohibit eating outside food service areas.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.