New COVID-19 cases fall to 30,000s
A makeshift COVID-19 testing center is empty in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, May 12. Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell Thursday after staying above 40,000 for two days. Yonhap
New COVID-19 cases fell Wednesday after staying above 40,000 for two days, as the government's efforts to move the country back to pre-pandemic normalcy continued.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 35,906 new infections ― down 43,925 for Tuesday ― bringing the total caseload to 17,694,677.
The agency also reported 63 deaths, bringing that total to 23,554; while the number of critically ill patients came to 354, down 29 from a day earlier.
Korea's new daily infections have been on a downward trend in recent weeks after peaking at over 620,000, March 17, amid the spread of the Omicron variant.
The government eased its outdoor mask mandate May 2, except for large gatherings of 50 or more, as a move toward a return to normalcy. The indoor mask mandate remains in effect. (Yonhap)