South Korea's new COVID-19 cases rise to 2-month high of over 37,000
People wait in line to get tested for COVID-19 at a testing center in Seoul's Gangnam District, July 12. Yonhap
South Korea's new coronavirus cases surged to a two-month high of over 37,000 on Tuesday, driven by the spread of a highly contagious new Omicron subvariant and deepening concerns over another virus wave.
The country added 37,360 new COVID-19 infections, including 260 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,561,861, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Tuesday's figure is the highest since May 11, when the daily count came to 43,908 in the aftermath of the Omicron wave. It also more than doubled from 19,371 cases logged a week earlier, as the country has seen an upturn in infections from end-June.
The KDCA reported seven deaths from the virus, putting the death toll at 24,668. The fatality rate stood at 0.13 percent.
The number of critically ill patients came to 74 on Monday, up from the previous day's 71. (Yonhap)