Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 10,000 for 3rd day

People visit Yongsan Park near the new presidential office in Seoul, June 10. New COVID-19 cases stayed below 10,000 for a third consecutive day Saturday. Yonhap

New COVID-19 cases stayed below 10,000 for a third consecutive day Saturday on fewer tests on the weekend and the waning Omicron-driven wave of the coronavirus.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 7,382 infections, including 78 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,225,460.

Saturday's figure was down from 8,442 the previous day, and also lower than the 9,832 new cases logged a week earlier.

The country added 20 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 24,371 for a fatality rate of 0.13 percent.

The number of critically ill patients came to 98, compared with 101 the previous day.

As of Sunday, 44.61 million, or 86.9 percent of the population, had completed the full two-dose vaccination protocol, and 33.34 million had received their first booster shots.

More than 4.26 million people, or 8.3 percent of the population, have had their second booster shots, the KDCA said. (Yonhap)