Acting Seoul Mayor Seo Jeong-hyup announced Monday that gatherings of five or more people will be banned in the capital area starting Wednesday.

Seo issued the administrative order in an online briefing as part of efforts to contain the relentless spread of COVID-19.

The ban will apply to both indoor and outdoor gatherings. Therefore a large number of Christmas and year-end parties and events are expected to be canceled.

Gyeonggi Province and Incheon City announced similar moves in separate, yet pre-coordinated briefings with new rules in the respective areas also to take effect on Wednesday. 

The latest measure is stricter than the ban on meetings involving ten or more people enforced under Level Three, the highest degree of social distancing. 

The wider capital region is currently under Level Two-point-Five, which bans gatherings of 50 or more people. The capital area also currently accounts for about 70 percent of nationwide daily infections.

The new administrative order on gatherings will take effect at 12 a.m. Wednesday and last through January 3.