S. Korea reports 48 new cases of coronavirus infection

- S. Korea reports 48 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 12,421

- No additional virus deaths, total death toll now at 280

- 12 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,868

South Korea reported 48 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday, down 19 from a day earlier thanks to a fall in imported cases, but local infections rose amid a continuing spread of the virus in the Seoul metropolitan area and the central city of Daejeon.

The new cases, 40 of them local infections and eight imported cases, raised the total caseload to 12,421, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The tally marked a fall from 67 additional cases reported Saturday.

The Seoul metropolitan area accounted for most of the newly added virus cases this month.

Of the locally transmitted cases, 27 were reported in the densely populated Seoul and nearby metropolitan areas, where around half of the country's 50-million population lives.

Ten cases were reported in Daejeon, some 160 km south of Seoul, triggering concerns that a community spread may further accelerate outside the greater Seoul area.

The country reported eight additional imported cases, raising the total number of such cases to 1,435.

Due to a fresh rise in daily new cases in the Seoul metropolitan area, the country had imposed two weeks of tougher infection preventive measures in late May until June 14.

There were no additional deaths, keeping the total death toll at 280. The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,868, up 12 from the previous day. (Yonhap)