New virus cases in 500s for 2nd day
Visitors wearing face masks as a precaution against COVID-19 arrive in the rain at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, May 28. AP-Yonhap
Daily new COVID-19 cases here stayed in the 500s for the second consecutive day Friday as the health authorities strive to contain infection clusters and the spread of virus variants.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 533 more coronavirus cases, including 505 local ones, raising the total caseload to 139,431.
There were five additional fatalities, raising the death toll to 1,951, for a fatality rate of 1.4 percent.
Daily caseloads have been going through some ups and downs between the 400s and 700s in recent months with no significant signs of a letup as infection clusters continue to be reported across the country.
Of the 505 new local infections, 343 cases were in the greater capital area, with 190 in Seoul, 136 in Gyeonggi Province and 17 in Incheon, 40 kilometers west of the capital.
The southern port city of Busan, the country's second-largest city, reported 14 more cases.
There were 28 additional imported cases, up 12 from a day earlier, with this total now at 9,019.
The KDCA are especially keeping close tabs on COVID-19 variants from overseas that are believed to be more contagious.
The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients was 160, up four from the previous day; while 980 people were released from quarantine after making a recovery, bringing the total to 129,739. Some 7,741 people were being isolated for COVID-19 treatment, down 452 from a day ago.
Daily cases, compiled by the health authorities and local governments, are counted until midnight and announced the following morning. (Yonhap)