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| ▲ Military recruits receive COVID-19 tests in Changwon, 398 kilometers south of Seoul, on April 5, 2021, in this photo provided by the Navy. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo taken April 5, 2021, shows a sign at a cafe in Seoul, which requests customers to follow social distancing guidelines, including using a QR-code check-in system and limiting the group's size to four people. (Yonhap) |
coronavirus-additional cases
New virus cases in 400s for 2nd day, upticks worrisome amid spring break
SEOUL, April 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 400s for the second day Tuesday amid sporadic cluster infections nationwide, with a potential resurgence looming amid loosened vigilance and increased spring travelers.
The country reported 478 more COVID-19 cases, including 460 local infections, raising the total caseload to 106,230, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
The daily caseload had been hovering above 500 since Wednesday last week, before falling to 473 the previous day on fewer COVID-19 tests over the weekend.
The country added four more deaths from COVID-19, increasing the total to 1,752.
The daily infections peaked at a record high of 1,241 on Dec. 25.
South Korea has been grappling with the third wave of infections since mid-November last year due to cluster infections nationwide from various locations, including entertainment establishments and religious facilities.
A bar from the southern port city of Busan, for example, has reported 273 infections so far, with 134 cases nationwide being traced to a church group.
The rising number of more infectious variant cases is also straining the country's antivirus fight. As of Monday, a total of 330 variant cases from Britain, South Africa and Brazil had been found since October.
Authorities plan to announce social distancing guidelines that will be applied nationwide Friday but warned more enhanced virus curbs may be adopted as the country is highly likely to report more cases down the road.
The greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's 51.7 million population, has been currently under the Level 2 social distancing rules, effective until April 11. The rest of the country is under Level 1.5. Under the measures, gatherings of five or more people are banned nationwide.
Health authorities may raise the social distancing levels as the reproduction rate for all regions exceeded one for the first time since mid-December. This means a single COVID-19 patient transmits the disease to more than one person.
Since the country started its vaccination program on Feb. 26, a total of 999,870 people have been given COVID-19 vaccine shots, including 35,970
the previous day.
AstraZeneca's vaccine has been given to 870,724 people, while 129,146 received that of Pfizer.
The KDCA said 27,691 people have received two doses.
A total of 11,141 cases of side effects after vaccinations have been reported, but 98.5 percent were mild symptoms, including muscle pain and fever.
A total of 36 deaths after vaccinations have been reported, according to the KDCA.
South Korea aims to achieve herd immunity by November and seeks to complete the vaccination of 12 million people by the end of June.
Of the locally transmitted cases, Seoul reported 145 new cases, and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital city identified 100 new patients. The southern port city of Busan reported 34 more cases.
Additional imported cases came to 18, raising the total to 7,721
The number of patients with serious symptoms across the country reached 112, up 15 from the previous day, the KDCA said.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries moved up 463 to 97,363.
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