New infections below 6,000 for 2nd day; critical cases at 1,081
People queue in line to wait for the coronavirus testing at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Dec. 22. AP-Yonhap
South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 6,000 for the second straight day Sunday following fewer tests on Christmas Day but critical cases remained high.
The country added 5,419 more COVID-19 cases, including 5,339 local infections, bringing the cumulative total to 607,463, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Sunday's tally fell from 5,842 cases on Saturday, 6,233 on Friday and 6,917 on Thursday, apparently helped by antivirus restrictions.
The number of critically ill patients slightly fell to 1,081 from a record high of 1,105 a day earlier, the KDCA said.
The country added 69 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total to 5,245. The fatality rate stood at 0.86 percent.
The country also reported 33 new Omicron variant cases, bringing the total to 376, the authorities said. (Yonhap)