| People queue in line to wait for the coronavirus testing at a temporary screening clinic for the coronavirus in Seoul, Nov. 29. AP-Yonhap |
South Korea's new coronavirus cases topped 5,000 for the first time Wednesday and the number of critically ill patients hit a fresh high amid concerns over the global spread of the new virus variant.
The country reported 5,123 new COVID-19 cases, including 5,075 local infections, raising the total caseload to 452,350, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). The country's previous highest daily number of cases was 4,115 on Nov. 24.
South Korea added 34 more deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, raising the death toll to 3,658. The fatality rate stood at 0.81 percent.
Critically ill patients also reached an all-time high of 723, marking the first time the number breached the 700 mark. The previous daily record was 661 reported Tuesday.
The emerging omicron variant across the globe has put South Korea on high alert. On Tuesday, the first suspected case of the omicron coronavirus variant was detected in the country, but health authorities said further tests were required.
The KDCA said the result of the tests will be released later in the day.
Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol told a pan-government meeting on the virus response that the government is mulling over additional measures after the government decided to halt the further easing of social distancing rules
The KDCA earlier said the pandemic risk level, a new five-tier assessment system introduced last week to evaluate the degree of COVID-19 risk, has reached the highest level in the country's capital area.
Health officials said it has become impossible to move on to the second phase of the country's "living with COVID-19" scheme that began early this month for a gradual return to normal life.
South Korea had originally planned to further relax the virus curbs in mid-December after four weeks of the first phase.
Of the locally transmitted cases, Seoul reported 2,212 new cases, the surrounding Gyeonggi Province posted 1,576 more cases and the western port city of Incheon with 322 cases.
The daily cases reported in the wider Seoul area also reached an all-time high.
The number of cases from overseas came to 48, raising the total to 15,771. (Yonhap)