New virus cases over 1,600; concerns grow over further spread after Chuseok holiday

Daily new coronavirus infections fell to around 1,600 for Sunday due to fewer tests over the weekend, but concerns have grown further over a surge in cases after the Chuseok holiday amid the fast spread of the virus in the greater Seoul area, health officials said.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported an additional 1,605 COVID-19 infections, including 1,577 local ones, raising the total caseload to 287,536.

This was the second straight day the daily number fell below 2,000, but also marked the country's highest ever for a Sunday, the KDCA data showed. The daily tally is counted until midnight and announced the following morning.

Five more deaths were reported, raising the toll to 2,409 for a fatality rate of 0.84 percent.

The fourth wave of the pandemic, which began in earnest in July, has shown no signs of letting up, with daily numbers staying above 1,000 for 76 consecutive days amid the fast spread of the more transmissible Delta variant nationwide.

Around 75 percent of Sunday's infections were in Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan region.

The KDCA remains on high alert as the virus could spread rapidly in non-capital areas after the five-day Chuseok break, the Korean harvest holiday set to run through Wednesday, when a large number of people usually travel across the country to visit family.

Earlier this month, the government extended the highest social distancing rules, Level 4, for Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, and Level 3 for other regions until Oct. 3.

But it eased some restrictions, allowing a family gathering of up to eight people on condition that four were fully vaccinated. Instead, it has been enforcing special quarantine steps, such as running makeshift test centers at major bus terminals and train stations to continue to ensure a thorough diagnosis system. (Yonhap)