New virus cases fall below 600 on fewer tests
People wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus ride Gyro Drop as they visit to celebrate Children's Day at Children's Grand Park in Seoul, May 5. AP-Yonhap
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell back below 600 on Sunday mainly due to fewer tests as health authorities try to boost the nationwide vaccination drive to contain the spread.
The country reported 564 more COVID-19 cases, including 522 local infections, raising the total caseload to 127,309, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Sunday's figure was sharply down from 701 from the previous day.
The daily caseload usually spikes after weekends as more people get tested. The average daily virus figure neared 600 in the past week as people have increased their activities due to the warmer weather.
There were nine additional deaths from the virus, raising the total to 1,874. The fatality rate was 1.47 percent.
The country plans to vaccinate 13 million people by June and 36 million by September in order to achieve herd immunity in November.
Health authorities said some 8.95 million people aged between 60 and 74 will receive vaccination shots in the coming weeks.
Starting May 27, people aged between 65 and 74 will be administered AstraZeneca's vaccine. Those aged between 60 and 65 will receive AstraZeneca's vaccine beginning June 7.
Of the newly confirmed locally transmitted cases, 346 cases came from the capital area, with 191 from Seoul, 144 from Gyeonggi Province and 11 from Incheon, 40 kilometers west of the capital.
The southern port city of Busan, the country's second-largest city, reported 10 more cases.
There were 42 additional imported cases, up 13 from a day earlier. The country's total number of imported cases is now at 8,553.
Health authorities are especially keeping close tabs on COVID-19 variants from overseas that are believed to be more contagious.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients was 160, down five from the previous day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries was 117,423, up 542 from a day earlier, with 8,012 people being isolated for COVID-19 treatment, up 13 from a day ago.
Daily cases, compiled by health authorities and local governments, are counted until midnight and announced the following morning. (Yonhap)