Seoul, Apr 4 (IANS): South Korea on Saturday decided to extend its social distancing campaign for another two weeks amid a slowing but still continuing coronavirus spread.

The decision came in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, who insisted the country had no choice but to maintain a high-level social distancing drive "for some time", reports Yonhap news Agency

"We have no choice but to continue an intense social distancing drive for some time in the future," the Prime Minister said in the meeting held earlier in Seoul.

People have been advised to keep a social distance of at least 2 metres from each other since South Korea reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on January 20.

The government intensified the drive two weeks earlier, forcing all major public facilities, including schools and private gyms, to shut down at least until Sunday to help prevent clusters of infections.

Under the renewed government drive, the people will be advised to avoid public gatherings, including church services, until at least April 19.

Meanwhile, the government has insisted the effectiveness of social distancing in preventing infection "has clearly been confirmed", said the Yonhap News Agency in the report

However, "the condition is still very serious, so we cannot but extend the social distancing campaign", it said.

South Korea confirmed 94 new infection cases on Friday , taking the total to 10,156.

The country's death toll increased to 177, with three more fatalities also reported on friday.