South Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 12,000 for 2nd day amid eased virus curbs
People wait in line at check-in counters at Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1, June 8, after all flight restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. Yonhap
New COVID-19 cases stayed above 12,000 for a second consecutive day Wednesday amid eased antivirus restrictions as the country is seeking to restore pre-pandemic normalcy.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 12,161 infections, including 65 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,200,346.
Wednesday's figure marked a fall from the previous day's 13,358.
The daily caseload had been below 10,000 for three days in a row until Monday on fewer tests over the weekend and the Memorial Day holiday that fell that day.
The country added 18 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the toll to 24,323 for a fatality rate of 0.13 percent.
The number of critically ill patients came to 106, down from 114 the previous day.
As of Thursday, 44.6 million, or 86.9 percent of the population, had completed the full two-dose vaccination protocol, and 33.33 million (64.9 percent) had received their first booster shots.
More than 4.21 million people, or 8.2 percent, have had their second booster shots, the KDCA said. (Yonhap)