S. Korea’s new COVID-19 cases above 35,000 for 3rd day as omicron’s spread picks up

People wait in line to get tested for the coronavirus in Songpa, eastern Seoul, on Sunday. (Yonhap)

South Korea’s new COVID-19 infections stayed at more than 35,000 cases for three days in a row Monday, as the highly infectious omicron variant rages across the country following a major holiday.

The country reported 35,286 new COVID-19 infections, including 35,131 local cases, raising the total to 1,044,963, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The accumulated virus caseload surpassed a grim milestone of 1 million the previous day, two years after South Korea reported its first COVID-19 case.

The daily tally surged to over 30,000 for the first time on Saturday, just three days after breaking the 20,000 mark. The figure topped the 10,000 level for the first time on Jan. 26.

The death toll from COVID-19 came to 6,886, up 13 from Sunday. The fatality rate was 0.66 percent.

The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients was 270, down two from a day earlier, the KDCA said. (Yonhap)

S. Korea’s new COVID-19 cases above 35,000 for 3rd day as omicron’s spread picks up
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