S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases over 60,000 for fourth day as virus continues to spread

Published : Dec 9, 2022 - 09:59 Updated : Dec 9, 2022 - 09:59

A poster on the entrance door to a bookstore in Seoul instructs visitors to wear a face mask on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases continued their weekly climb Friday, as the government mulls adjusting the indoor mask mandate even as the virus spreads.

The country reported 62,734 new COVID-19 infections, including 50 from overseas, bringing the total to 27,611,555, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.

Friday's tally is slightly lower than the previous day's 65,253, but up by more than 9,700 from the same day a week earlier, and more than 9,000 higher than two weeks earlier, KDCA data showed.

The South Korean 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.

Daily caseloads are 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 67 COVID-19 deaths, bringing the death toll to 30,975.

The number of critically ill patients stood at 442, up seven from the previous day. (Yonhap)