Due to the continuing Covid-19 epidemic, health officials said that it is too early to lift the indoor mask  mandate or quarantine obligations for confirmed patients.

However, authorities stressed that they may review lifting rules when Korea enters a "stable period."

"Regarding lifting of indoor masks and quarantine obligations, these quarantine measures block the infection and stabilize the epidemic," said Im Sook-young, a senior official at the Central Disease Control Headquarters. "Korea is witnessing a resurgence of the Covid-19, so we need to be cautious about mitigating the resurgence before entering the epidemic stabilizes."

Several experts also voiced that it is too early to ease these obligations now but stressed that it is time to start reviewing lifting such measures.

Appearing on MBC Radio's talk show, Head of the National Advisory Committee on Infectious Disease Crisis Response Jung Ki-suck emphasized that the mandatory lifting of indoor masks is necessary, but stressed that it should be implemented next spring.

"When I visited Europe, I saw that even respiratory physicians were not wearing masks indoors," Jung said. "I also believe Korea should remove indoor mask rules, and I hope that time will be next spring."

Considering the fatality rate and the seriousness of the environment, quarantine officials will suggest removing the indoor mask "later in the future," Jung added.

Jung said there will be an opportunity to take off the indoor face mask from next spring after the winter season, when there is a possibility of a "twindemic" situation -- the dual threat of a severe flu outbreak on top of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Professor Jung Jae-hun of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Gachon University College of Medicine also said, "From a long-term perspective, it is right to lift indoor mask rules and quarantine regulations for confirmed patients."

There may be disagreements about when, but Korea is at a stage where it can start reviewing the situation, Jung added.

Meanwhile, the quarantine authorities predicted that the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases may increase slightly after Chuseok, but the overall trend of the epidemic will continue to decrease.

"As with the Chuseok holiday last year, the number of confirmed cases may again increase this year," Im said.

However, Jung predicted that while the cases will start to increase from Tuesday, cases will start to decrease again after exceeding 100,000 daily cases.

Jung added that the number of severe cases will continue to occur at the level of seven out of 10,000 confirmed cases, and the government will also announce the results of a nationwide antibody survey to identify hidden infected people later this month.

Quarantine authorities urged that it is important to follow personal quarantine rules, such as receiving medical attention immediately for those who show suspicious symptoms and minimizing contact with others so that Korea can maintain the abating trend of the epidemic even after the Chuseok holiday.

On Monday, Korea added 57,309 Covid-19 infections, including 272 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 24,099,134, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.

The nation also reported 35 more Covid-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 27,533. The fatality rate stood at 0.11 percent. The number of critically ill patients came to 547, down six from the previous day, the KDCA said.

Despite the continued decline in cases, the government warned of a possible twindemic as early as this fall amid an unusual spike in the number of flu patients since July this year.

According to the KDCA, 4.7 among 1,000 patients who visited the hospital from Aug. 23 to Sept. 3 showed influenza-like symptoms. The figure is the highest for the same seven-day period in the last five years.

The health agency said that it is considering introducing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that can detect both Covid-19 and the flu at the same time.

According to the KDCA, about 44.67 million among 52 million Koreans have been fully vaccinated. In addition, about 33.57 million people had received their first booster shots, and 7.29 million had their second booster shots.