South Korea and other Asian countries are experiencing an uptrend in daily new infections due to cluster infections, following a few days of declines.
South Korea Soars Above 300 New Cases Again
On Wednesday, South Korea saw a significant increase in daily new COVID-19 infections, with 320 new cases over the past 24 hours.
Health officials noted that the resurgence of daily transmissions was driven by cluster infections in different parts of the country, as well as clusters linked to religious groups.
Of the new infections on Wednesday, 307 were locally transmitted. The day's log came following two days of infections below 300, as there were fewer tests conducted during the weekend.
As of Wednesday, South Korea has logged a total of 18,265 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The government said it will decide whether stricter anti-coronavirus measures will be reimplemented after this week's total log is compiled.
Greater Seoul Schools Go Digital
The greater Seoul area on Wednesday returned to online classes following a resurgence in new coronavirus cases in the South Korean capital.
The order from the Ministry of Education came on Tuesday and covers all of the 7,826 kindergartens, elementary schools, middle schools and high schools in the metro area.
Other schools across the country still operate on a mixed status. There are in-person classes and also online classes for most schools as some institutions determine which operations will work best in protecting students and staff.
India Sees 8th Day of Over 60,000 Daily Cases
For the eighth consecutive day, India logged over 60,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. On Wednesday, the country reported over 67,000 new infections.
According to the Indian health ministry, the fatality rate is now at 1.84 percent, while the recovery rate has reached around 76 percent, raising hopes for the hard-hit country.
As of Wednesday, India has recorded a total of 3,235,725 confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 60,000 deaths linked to the fast-spreading disease.
Victoria Reports 24 New Fatalities
On Wednesday, the Australian state of Victoria reported 24 new deaths linked to the novel coronavirus, marking the second-deadliest day in the state.
As part of the efforts to curb new infections and deaths from COVID-19, the government is in talks to potentially extend a state of emergency for another year. It is unclear when the decision will be announced.
Multiple critics have expressed concerns about the possibility of extending the state of emergency. Some noted that an extension would mean taking away people's freedoms and rights to make a living.
As of Wednesday, Australia has logged a total of 25,204 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 549 deaths.
Singapore Tightens Control Over Travelers From South Korea
Singapore has seen a significant downtrend in daily new coronavirus infections over the past two weeks. As part of the efforts to further follow that path, the government has released a new order for travelers to the city-state.
Starting Saturday, visitors to Singapore who recently traveled to South Korea will be required to fulfill their mandatory two-week stay-at-home notices at government facilities.
Previously, travelers from South Korea could serve their two-week stay-at-home notices at their residences, as South Korea had been considered a low-risk area before the most recent surge or infections there.
Aside from the new facilities for serving the 14-day isolation period, visitors will also be asked to undergo COVID-19 testing.
As of Wednesday, Singapore has logged a total of 56,435 confirmed coronavirus cases and 27 deaths.
