This photo taken on April 16, 2023, shows people enjoying azaleas in full bloom in Mount Biseul in Daegu, 300 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 17 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s new coronavirus cases fell below 10,000 on Monday due to fewer tests over the weekend, with the country moving toward regaining pre-pandemic normalcy following the relaxation of most antivirus restrictions.
The country reported 4,946 cases, including 23 imported cases, bringing the total caseload to 30,994,088, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Monday’s tally fell from 10,188 cases a day earlier but is higher than 4,005 a week ago. The daily caseload stayed above 10,000 in the past six days through Sunday.
The country added four COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 34,376. The number of critically ill patients came to 130, up from 122 a day earlier, the KDCA said.
South Korea eased most of its virus curbs in March, including the indoor mask mandate on public transportation.
The government plans to reduce the mandatory COVID-19 isolation period to five days from the current seven in May as a next step to return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
(Yonhap)
