According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the morning low in Seoul fell to -10.2 degrees, but the wind chill effect made it feel much even, bringing the temperature down by 5 to 10 degrees.
The lowest morning temperatures were -16.9 degrees in Daegwallyeong in mountainous Gangwon Provinces, -13.6 degrees in Cheorwon, and -13 degrees in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
The mercury also plunged to -10.3 degrees in Incheon, -9.3 degreees in Daejeon, -6.9 degrees in Daegu, -6.8 degrees in Gwangju, and -4.7 degrees in Busan.
Daytime highs are expected to remain below zero for most parts of the country, ranging from -11 to 3 degrees.
The freezing weather is expected to last throughout the week. "Most areas recorded the lowest temperatures of this winter, and the cold spell is expected to persist for a while," the KMA said.
Meanwhile, flu cases have surged as temperatures drop. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the number of patients with flu or suspected of having the disease at the end of last month was 73.9 per 1,000 outpatients at 300 hospitals and medical clinics nationwide, a 2.4-fold increase from the previous week.
Health authorities advise high-risk groups such as young children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with chronic diseases to get vaccinated, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday later this month when many people travel en masse to visit their ancestral hometowns for the biggest holiday of the year.
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