- S. Korea reports 197 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 15,515
- No additional coronavirus death, death toll at 305
- 7 more patients released from coronavirus treatment, total now at 13,917
South Korea reported 197 more cases of the new coronavirus on Monday as it battles sporadic outbreaks in Seoul and its neighboring area amid growing fears of resurgence in the greater Seoul area.
The additional COVID-19 cases, including 188 local infections, raised the country's total caseload to 15,515, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the new cases, 188 were local transmissions.
Monday's figure came a day after the nation reported 279 new daily infections, marking the first time since early March that the new daily infections surpassed 200.
Although the number of new cases declined from a day earlier, it marked a three-digit number for the fourth straight day, following 166 infections Saturday and 103 Friday.
Of the newly identified local infections, a total of 89 cases was reported in the capital city of Seoul, and 67 were from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, the KCDC said.
Alarmed by a resurgence of infections in recent days, the government raised social distancing in Seoul and its neighboring areas by one notch to Level 2 in the three-tier system for two weeks from Sunday. But health authorities are concerned about further spread of the virus out of the capital area.
Sporadic cluster infections have shown no signs of a let-up, with most cases traced to small and medium-sized churches in the greater Seoul area.
Infections tied to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul spiked to 249 as of noon Sunday, while cases linked to the Woori Jeil Church in Yongin, south of Seoul, increased to 126. Local authorities have ordered the churches' congregations to take COVID-19 tests. Seoul and its neighboring area are home to 25 million people.
Sporadic infections have also been reported in recent days from the fast-food franchise Lotteria, an investment company, offices, schools and coffee shops.
South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional fatalities, keeping the death toll at 305. The fatality rate was 1.99 percent.
The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries stood at 13,917, up seven from the previous day. (Yonhap)