South Korea has logged another day of more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases, around 70 percent of which were from the greater Seoul area, putting authorities on edge over another potential resurgence as the country gears up for the Chuseok holiday.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 2,018 local infections and 31 imported cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours, raising the total caseload to 267,470.
The death toll reached 2,343 with the addition of nine virus-related fatalities.
Health officials have warned that the steady rise in cluster infections in the capital could easily spread to non-metropolitan areas over the upcoming holiday as millions are expected to travel to their hometowns and visit relatives.
Various local governments are calling on citizens to avoid travel and group gatherings to help stop the spread.
The toughest Level 4 social distancing rules for Seoul, Incheon and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province have been extended until October 3, with most all other regions under Level 3 distancing measures.
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The Bank of Korea says it will extend financial support for smaller merchants and firms by another six months to help them ease a funding squeeze amid the pandemic.
The financial support of low-rate loans worth 19 trillion won had been scheduled to end this month, but the central bank said the scheme will be put in place until March next year.
Under the move, the BOK provides funds to local banks at an interest rate of 0.25 percent to encourage them to extend lending to smaller merchants and companies.
Of the funds, 6 trillion won will be set aside for small merchants hit hard by the virus outbreak.
The remaining 13 trillion won will be reserved for lending to small and medium-sized firms.
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The World Health Organization has reiterated its call for wealthy countries with large supplies of coronavirus vaccines to refrain from offering booster shots through the end of the year.
Earlier, the global health body appealed for a moratorium on boosters, but it has largely been ignored.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday he was "appalled" after hearing comments from a top association of pharmaceutical manufacturers that vaccine supplies are high enough to allow for both booster shots in well-supplied countries and first jabs in poorer nations facing shortages.
For months now, Israel has been providing third doses to people, and last month, U.S. health officials recommended all Americans get boosters to protect themselves against variants.
Other countries, including South Korea, Britain and Denmark, have also begun or are considering plans to offer third shots of two-dose vaccines to their vulnerable populations such as the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.
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There has been a significant increase in reports of health incidents affecting U.S. diplomats and spies in recent months, according to data obtained by the BBC.
Originally known as "Havana Syndrome," officials say the condition has now spread to every continent.
The BBC's Gordon Corera has more.
[Reporter]
In August, a visit by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to Vietnam was delayed after a U.S. official reported an anomalous health incident commonly known as Havana Syndrome.
The symptoms are often hearing strange sounds and a feeling of heat or pressure were first spotted in Cuba in 2016 and have disproportionately affected intelligence officers.
There's been a significant increase in reports in recent months.
While some suggested psychological origins, evidence in at least some of the cases points to individuals being targeted with directed, pulsed microwaves. ■
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