Authorities in South Korea urged the public to actively take part in quarantine measures, a day after the government decided to heighten social distancing for the Seoul metropolitan area to Level One-point-Five.

Second Vice Health Minister Kang Do-tae said on Wednesday that the aim of heightened distancing is to curb the virus' spread in the capital region and to turn the situation around in a bid to avoid resorting to Level Two.

Kang asked residents in the affected areas to either cancel or delay gatherings of people for the next two weeks.

As for concerns over a new wave of the epidemic, with daily cases climbing above 300, the vice minister said it would be too early to reach such a conclusion. 

Kang said while authorities would consider Level Two when the daily increase surpasses the threshold, they will also take its economic impact into account.