Korea reports 30 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 10,480

Medical staff wearing protective suits take samples from a person with suspected symptoms of COVID-19 at a drive-thru virus test facility in Goyang, in this March 1, file photo. AP

The government reported 30 new COVID-19 infections Saturday, bringing the nation's total cases to 10,480.

South Korea has now recorded 50 or fewer new cases daily for six straight days, a sharp drop from the Feb. 29 peak of 909, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). But the health authorities remain on high alert over infection clusters at churches and hospitals, as well as new cases coming from overseas

The KCDC reported that the country's death toll from the new coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year, rose by three to 211.

The number of patients released from quarantine after a full recovery has reached 7,243, up 126 from a day earlier.

The southeastern city of Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region, added seven new cases, just a day after the city reported no additional cases for the first time in 52 days. The surrounding North Gyeongsang Province reported three new infrctions.

The total number of cases reported in Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province has reached 6,814 and 1,330, respectively.

Other major provinces and cities also reported new infections, with Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province each adding four and nine.

The country also saw six new cases coming from overseas at border checkpoints, raising the country's total number of imported cases to 886.

Since April 1, South Korea has been enforcing a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for all travelers coming from overseas to better contain imported cases.

Seeking to reduce the daily number of new infections to below 50, the government has extended strict guidelines on social distancing by two weeks to April 19. (Yonhap)