Daily COVID-19 cases reach new high of 54,941
A medical worker gestures to guide people as they wait for a COVID-19 test at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Feb. 10. AP-Yonhap
The number of COVID-19 infections in South Korea reached a new high Friday, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant continued to spread rapidly across the country.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 54,941 new cases, including 53,797 local ones, raising the total to 1,294,205.
This marks the third day in a row that the daily tally exceeded the 50,000 level ― 53,926 cases were reported for Thursday.
The health authorities have warned that the figure could reach 170,000 by around the end of the month, though it is too early to say if this will be the peak of the Omicron surge.
The death toll from COVID-19 came to 7,045, up 33 from Thursday. (Yonhap)