coronavirus-additional cases

▲ Massive street paintings are created on the main street of Myeongdong, a major tourist shopping destination in Seoul, on May 4, 2023, as part of the street's ongoing sales festival. (Yonhap)

coronavirus-additional cases

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 20,000 amid eased virus curbs

SEOUL, May 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 20,000 on Friday as the country sees a steady on-week growth in the daily caseload on eased virus curbs.

The country reported 18,752 cases, including 38 imported cases, on the Children's Day holiday, bringing the total caseload to 31,251,203, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

Friday's tally marked a slight fall from the previous day's 20,146 but was higher than 13,791 a week earlier.

The country added six COVID-19 deaths Thursday, raising the death toll to 34,518.

The number of critically ill patients came to 141, up from 138 a day earlier, the KDCA said.

In March, the government removed the mask mandate on public transportation about two months after the removal of mask-wearing rules for most indoor spaces in a major step toward the return to pre-pandemic normalcy.

The government is considering shortening the mandatory COVID-19 isolation period to five days from the current seven this month.

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