국내 코로나 확진자 300명 이상으로 치솟아.. 사회적 거리두기 2단계로 격상하나?

We start our midday newscast with the COVID-19 situation here in South Korea.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has surpassed 300 for the first time in almost three months.
Our Kim Yeon-seung is on the line to give us the details.
Yeon-seung what can you tell us?
Well Mark, the numbers aren't looking pretty.
South Korea on Wednesday reported 313 cases, 245 of which were local transmissions.
This is the highest spike the country has seen since late August.
On August 29th, the country reported 323 cases, and since then,... health authorities have managed to keep the number below 300.
Most of the infections since then have been concentrated in the densely populated capital region.
On Wednesday, 181 of the local transmissions were from the greater Seoul area.
Seoul city alone saw 91 cases.
Some recent clusters in the capital include a sports facility in Seongdong-gu district, a sauna in Seocho-gu district, and a hiking club from the capital region.
Health authorities warn that the latest infections are popping up unexpectedly and sporadically all over the region from small gatherings and frequently visited places like saunas and gyms.
Should the number of daily infections stay over 300 for a week straight, the distancing measures will be bumped up to level 2.
Under level 2, entertainment facilities like bars, clubs, and singing rooms will have to close down, and restaurants and cafes can't serve customers after 9 p.m. except for take-out orders.
That's all I have for now, but I'll be back later to address other pressing questions about why the nation is seeing this sudden spike.
Back to you, Mark.