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Korea reports 110 new virus cases as rise in local infections persists

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Women wearing face masks to help protect against the spread of the coronavirus pass by a street art wall in front of the Korea Tourism Organization in Seoul, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020. AP

South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed in the 100s for the 17th consecutive day Friday, with local infections unabated in the greater Seoul area.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 110 more COVID-19 infections, taking the total caseload to 22,893.

The new cases mark a decline from 126 reported for Thursday but are higher than Tuesday's 106. Of the new cases, 106 were locally transmitted and the rest came from overseas. The death toll rose by one to 378

The authorities are still struggling to bring the outbreak under control amid little signs of a significant slowdown in sight, as sporadic infection clusters tied to offices, churches, a nursing home and an auto factory continue to occur in the metropolitan areas.

The country's outbreak trend has been on a downward trajectory due to tougher social distancing rules that were enforced until last week to contain the resurgence sparked by church gatherings and political rallies in mid-August.

From earlier this week, the government relaxed the tougher virus curbs for the next two weeks, allowing smaller businesses to stay open longer, and restaurants and cafes to operate as usual in the face of growing concerns that the tougher measures would further hurt the economy already blighted by the pandemic.

The biggest task for the health authorities now is to prevent a potential rebound in new coronavirus cases around the upcoming Chuseok that falls later this month, a traditional holiday that entails mass movements of people and family gatherings.

The government has urged citizens to refrain from group gatherings and advised against traveling during the holiday. A poll showed Thursday that only 16 percent of the respondents said they will travel to their hometowns for this year's Chuseok. (Yonhap)