The number of critically ill patients and the fatality rate will be taken into account in addition to new daily cases as the government drafts new distancing rules to be announced next week.  

Senior Health Ministry official Son Young-rae said in a media briefing that a change is being observed in those rates so it is difficult to evaluate the current pandemic situation by the size of daily tally only as in the past. 

The official said the government will also give ear to related ministries and experts in reviewing possible adjustments to the distancing rules. 

Current social distancing, in which the greater Seoul area and some other regions are placed at the highest Level Four and the other regions at Level Three, was extended for four weeks earlier this month, twice the usual duration given the Chuseok holiday. The next adjustment is expected to return to the two week increment. 

Hope for eased distancing rules is being dampened by spiking daily caseloads. Two-thousand-434 new COVID-19 cases were announced Friday and the rising trend is expected to continue for the time being.