This photo taken June 2, 2022, shows cars at the long-term parking lot at the Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, amid eased COVID-19 travel restrictions. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 3 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s new coronavirus cases bounced back to over 10,000 on Friday as the country is working to return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
The country added 12,542 COVID-19 infections, including 35 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,141,835, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Daily infections have shown a downward trend after posting an all-time high of over 620,000 in mid-March.
The death toll came to 24,229, up 17 from Thursday, with the fatality rate at 0.13 percent. The number of critically ill patients fell by 16 to 160, the KDCA said.
As of 9 p.m. Friday, the country had added 11,798 new cases, down 294 from the same time a day earlier, according to local governments and health authorities.
Daily cases are counted until midnight and announced the following morning.
This photo taken June 2, 2022, shows passengers at the No. 1 Terminal of Incheon International Airport in Incheon, west of Seoul, amid eased travel restrictions. (Yonhap)
Health authorities have taken a series of measures in recent weeks to return to normalcy as the pandemic wanes.
On Wednesday, the government began to shut down most makeshift COVID-19 testing stations across the country. It plans to increase the number of private clinics and local hospitals designated for the virus’ treatment.
In its latest measures announced Friday, the government said it will lift a seven-day quarantine mandate for unvaccinated arrivals from overseas next Wednesday.
The move is part of the government’s efforts to restore pre-pandemic normalcy and in line with border reopenings in other countries.
Despite the lifting, international arrivals are still required to take only one polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within three days of their entry into South Korea.
Moreover, the government said it will also fully normalize the number of international flights and lift the curfew for arrivals at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, next Wednesday.
Rapid antigen tests that had been required for inbound travelers by the end of the first week of arrival are now a recommendation.
As of Thursday, 44.59 million, or 86.9 percent of the population, had completed the full two-dose vaccinations, and 33.3 million, representing 64.9 percent, had received their first booster shots, the KDCA said.
More than 4.1 million people, or 8 percent, had gotten their second booster shots, the health agency said.
(Yonhap)
