Korea reports 248 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 19,947
– 1 additional coronavirus death, total at 324
– 70 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 14,973
The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed below 300 for the second consecutive day Monday, but health authorities are keeping their guards up as sporadic cluster infections and a growing number of patients with unknown infection routes continue to put a strain on the country’s virus fight.
The country reported 248 new COVID-19 cases, including 238 local infections, raising the total caseload to 19,947, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). One more patient died from the novel coronavirus, raising the death toll to 324.
Monday’s daily tally marks a sharp drop from 299 cases identified the previous day. But fewer virus tests over the weekend might have dragged down the number of new cases.
The country’s daily tally of COVID-19 cases went down for the fourth straight day after it reached a near six-month high of 441 cases on Thursday. South Korea reported 371 cases Friday and 323 cases Saturday.
Still, the number of daily virus cases has stayed in the triple digits for more than two weeks. Since Aug. 14, more than 5,100 cases have been reported in South Korea, mostly tied to a conservative church in northern Seoul and the Aug. 15 Liberation Day rally.
The number of newly identified imported cases stood at 10, with three of them detected at quarantine checkpoints at airports and harbors. The country’s total number of imported cases is now at 2,823.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 14,973, up 70 from the previous day, with 4,650 people isolated for COVID-19 treatment, up 177 from a day ago. (Yonhap)