South Korea reports biggest COVID-19 spike since March
South Korea reported 583 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the highest since March, as it grapples with a third wave of infections that appears to be worsening despite tough new social distancing measures.
The government reimposed strict distancing rules on Seoul and surrounding regions this week, only a month after they had been eased following a second wave of infections.
Some experts say the government moved too early to relax those rules, as the daily tally exceeds 500 for the first time since March 6, with young people at the centre of the surge.
Beijing market suspends sales of aquatic and frozen products
Beijing's Xinfadi market, which was linked to a coronavirus outbreak in June, has suspended sales and storage of cold-chain and aquatic products, state-backed Beijing News reported.
Several infections in recent months in Qingdao and Tianjin cities involved handlers of imported frozen food.
Refrigerated meat, seafood and frozen products in the market were disposed of, and the market has disinfected over a hundred cold storages and shut down their power.
Thailand sees first trickle of tourists
Thailand recorded its first 1,201 foreign tourists in October since a ban in April, as the country gradually opens up to a select number of visitors to help its struggling, tourism-reliant economy.
Southeast Asia's second-largest economy contracted by 6.4% in the third quarter from a year earlier after the second quarter's 12.1% slump as most virus restrictions were eased, but an absence of tourists limited the recovery.
The 1,201 foreign visitors in October compares with 3.07 million arrivals in the same month last year.
