Coronavirus: South Korea tightens restrictions
The Seoul city government will close nightclubs and ban late-night dining in restaurants starting Tuesday as South Korea tightens guidelines to battle a surge there in coronavirus infections.
South Korea’s daily caseload rose above 300 for five straight days before dropping to 271 on Monday. Most of the new cases in the recent spike were reported in Seoul and in nearby cities.
Unlike earlier waves that had been clustered around several churches and outdoor rallies, the current surge was more widespread. Officials said it originated in social gatherings where people were without masks. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has warned that the spike may become the country’s largest wave of infections if the spread is not quickly contained.
Details: The new restrictions include a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people and the closure of nightclubs, dance halls, casinos and other high-risk venues. Other indoor activities will limit opening hours and the number of attendees.
Here are the latest updates and maps of the pandemic.
In other developments:

■ The drugmaker AstraZeneca announced that an early analysis of some of its late-stage clinical trials showed that its vaccine was 70.4 percent effective on average and potentially up to 90 percent effective in preventing Covid-19. It is the third major vaccine developer to announce promising results.

■ Gyms, stores and hair salons will be allowed to reopen in England next week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, telling lawmakers that for the first time since the spread of the coronavirus, the country could “see a route out of the pandemic.”
The New York Times