This photo taken Dec. 9, 2022, shows outbound passengers to Japan at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea reported more than 50,000 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, the largest for a Sunday in more than three months, amid concerns of another surge as the government mulls easing the indoor mask mandate.
The country reported 54,319 new COVID-19 infections, including 52 from overseas, bringing the total to 27,728,482, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Sunday’s daily infections marked the most for a Sunday since the figure reached 72,112 on Sept. 4, though the number fell from Saturday’s 62,738 cases.
On Friday, the government said it will decide whether to lift the indoor mask mandate, the country’s last remaining COVID-19 restriction, by the end of this month, based on various factors, including caseloads, deaths and hospitalizations.
It said the indoor mask mandate will be kept in place at high-risk facilities, such as senior care hospitals and nursing homes.
The daily caseload is expected to continue on a slow incremental trend for the time being. The KDCA, however, did not rule out the possibility of another virus wave this winter.
The country added 40 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 31,069. The number of critically ill patients stood at 440, up 12 from the previous day.
(Yonhap)
