S. Korea reports 37 new cases of coronavirus infection

- S. Korea reports 37 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 12,121

- No additional virus deaths, death toll now at 277

- 12 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,730

South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 40 for the second straight day Monday, but cluster infections and untraceable cases continued to haunt the Seoul metropolitan area.

The country added 37 new cases, including 24 local infections, raising the total caseload to 12,121, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The tally marked a slight rise from 34 additional cases reported Sunday but a sharp decrease from 49 a day earlier. All but two of the locally transmitted cases were reported in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital, home to half of the country's 50 million population.

Health authorities have been staying vigilant over chains of group infections in the metropolitan area, which accounted for nearly all of the locally transmitted infections this month.

While the country went ahead with the eased social-distancing scheme in early May on the back of flattened virus cases, a series of multiple, sporadic cluster infections in the densely populated Seoul area emerged as a stumbling block in the country's virus fight.

The virus spike in the metropolitan area forced health authorities to impose a two-week tougher infection preventive measures in the region in late May until Sunday.

But the country opted last week to indefinitely extend the deadline, until the number of new cases falls back to a single digit. A door-to-door business establishment in southern Seoul has emerged as a new hotbed for community spread. As of Sunday, cases traced to the retailer reached 164, up 11 from the previous day.

Those linked to small churches in the metropolitan area came to 107, up seven cases over the past 24 hours.

COVID-19 cases tied to a table tennis center in southwestern Seoul reached at least 62.

Virus cases connected to a day care center for seniors in northeastern Seoul rose one to 17.

Cases traced to a warehouse run by e-commerce leader Coupang in Bucheon, just west of Seoul, reached at least 147.

The country reported no additional virus-related deaths, keeping the total death toll at 277.

The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries stood at 10,730, up 12 from the previous day. (Yonhap)