New virus cases in 1,300s for 2nd day
A medical worker in a booth takes a nasal sample from a man during coronavirus testing at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, July 26. AP-Yonhap
South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases stayed in the 1,300s for the second straight day Tuesday as health authorities strive to stem infections outside the greater Seoul area and the spread of the delta variant with toughened distancing measures.
The country added 1,365 COVID-19 cases, including 1,276 local infections, raising the total caseload to 191,531, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The daily caseload was up 47 from the previous day.
The country added two more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 2,079. The fatality rate was at 1.09 percent.
The daily caseload has remained above 1,000 since July 7, reaching as high as 1,842, due to the resurgence in the greater Seoul area. But recently, virus cases in non-Seoul regions have been growing fast as people travel around tourist spots across the country in the summer season.
Nearly 40 percent of all newly reported cases came from non-capital regions.
In their fight against the fourth wave of the pandemic, health authorities worry that the virus curve may not have hit its peak yet, as the highly transmissible delta variant of COVID-19 is becoming the dominant strain in the country amid increased activities in the summer vacation season.
To stem the spread of the virus, South Korea extended the highest Level 4 distancing measures in the Seoul metropolitan area for another two weeks through Aug. 8. The toughest distancing restrictions ban gatherings of more than two people after 6 p.m. and place a 10 p.m. curfew on restaurants and cafes and a ban on nightclubs and other entertainment venues.
The country also began enforcing Level 3 distancing restrictions in the non-capital areas Tuesday to better contain the virus during the summer holiday season.
Under Level 3, cafes and restaurants can accept customers until 10 p.m. and only takeout and delivery services are available after that time. Private gatherings of more than five people are banned, while mass-gathering events can accommodate fewer than 50 people.
South Korea is also working to boost its vaccination drive by expanding inoculation to the younger population.
Health authorities earlier said they are considering giving booster shots to people after October or November. Booster shots refer to an extra dose of a vaccine after full inoculation to bolster a person's immune system.
Of the newly confirmed domestic cases, infections from non-capital areas accounted for 39.6 percent amid the fourth wave of the pandemic.
The southeastern port city of Busan and the surrounding South Gyeongsang Province reported 64 and 85 cases, respectively.
In the capital area, Seoul reported 349, while the surrounding Gyeonggi Province added 364. The western port city of Incheon confirmed 58.
Imported cases came to 89, sharply up from 54 the previous day.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries was 168,629 up 1,264 from a day earlier.
The number of patients in critical condition came to 269, up 25 from the previous day. (Yonhap)