South Korea has delayed until Sunday any easing of social distancing measures because outbreaks involving mission schools are threatening to undermine efforts to keep new infections under control ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays.

The number of cases linked to Christian schools nationwide grew further on Friday, reaching 344 infections in total in seven facilities, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said that the government would not carelessly reduce social distancing rules, citing experts who view the recent surge in cases as a sign of another massive wave of infections.

“We want to be cautious as making a wrong judgment ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays could end up tumbling the anti-virus measures we have been building up in an instant,” Chung told a government meeting.