New COVID-19 cases below 6,000 for 1st time in 6 days
A medical workers passes by people as they wait for the coronavirus testing outside a public health center in Seoul, Dec. 15. AP-YonhapSouth Korea's new coronavirus cases fell below 6,000 for the first time in six days Monday due partly to less testing over the weekend, but the number of new critically ill patients neared 1,000.The country added 5,318 more COVID-19 cases, including 5,258 local infections, bringing the cumulative total to 570,414, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The number of new critically ill patients came to 997, slightly down from an all-time high of 1,025 on Sunday and 1,016 on Saturday, the KDCA said.The country added 54 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total to 4,776. The fatality rate stood at 0.84 percent. On Saturday, the government reimposed a set of revised virus restrictions across the country, which will remain in effect until Jan. 2 to stem the spread of the virus.It marks a reversal of the government's "Living with COVID-19" scheme that began last month, with an aim to regain normalcy by relaxing virus restrictions i
Dec 20, 2021