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| Medical workers wearing protective gear take samples from a foreign visitor at an 'Open Walking-Thru' centre for COVID-19 tests at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, Korea, March 27, 2020. EPA |
The government reported 146 new cases of the novel coronavirus Saturday, bringing the nation's total infections to 9,478, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), which added that the number of fatalities had risen by five to 144.
The southeastern city of Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province ― the nation's two worst-affected regions ― accounted for 73 of the 146 new cases.
A total of 4,811 fully recovered novel coronavirus patients had been released from hospitals as of Saturday, up 283 from a day earlier, the KCDC said.
This marked the first time the number of recovering people exceeded the number of quarantined patients since Jan. 20, when the virus was first detected here.
The government Korea has begun implementing stricter rules on social distancing to slow the coronavirus pandemic that emerged in Wuhan, China, late last year.
Citizens are strongly urged to stay at home, except for essential needs or jobs, with the government restricting religious gatherings, indoor sports activities, and visits to nightclubs and other entertainment venues.
The government has enforced a two-week quarantine period and virus tests for all long-term arrivals from Europe, regardless of symptoms, in an effort to contain "imported" cases of the virus. Starting Friday, passengers from the United States for long-term stay were also required to self-isolate at home for two weeks. (Yonhap)
