Daily COVID-19 cases bounce back above 4,000; deaths hit record high

People queue in line to wait for a coronavirus test at a makeshift testing site in Seoul, Nov. 24. AP-Yonhap

South Korea's new daily COVID-19 cases rose above 4,000 with the numbers of deaths and critically ill patients hitting fresh record highs Friday, deepening worries about the further spread of the coronavirus under a phased plan for a gradual return to normal life.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 4,068 new infections, including 4,045 local ones, raising the total caseload to 436,968.

The number was up 167 from 3,901 for Thursday but down from 4,115, Wednesday, which was the highest since the first case was reported here in January 2020.

Critically ill patients hit an all-time high of 634, up 17 from the previous day.

The country added 52 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 3,492 for a fatality rate of 0.8 percent.

Concerns about an upsurge in new cases have been growing since the government began easing virus restrictions early this month under its three-phase "living with COVID-19" plan.

The administration planned to move to the second, more eased stage in mid-December, but the health authorities have warned the country may not be able to do so if the current trend continues.

Surging infections and critical cases are spawning worries about a shortage of hospital beds for treatment, especially in the greater Seoul area, home to about half of the country's 52 million population.

The government said it will announce toughened antivirus measures to contain the spread of the virus, Monday. (Yonhap)

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