South Korea sees 324 new COVID-19 cases, highest in five months

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 tally exceeded 300 Friday. It was the highest figure in over five months, as locally transmitted infections continue to be diagnosed in the Greater Seoul area.

The new daily case number reached 324, raising the total caseload to 16,670 as of midnight Thursday, according to the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of the new cases, only nine were imported from overseas while the rest were locally transmitted.

Two more deaths were added, bringing the death toll to 309 with the fatality rate standing at 1.85 percent.

The total number of new cases over the past eight days -- since Aug. 14, when the country began reporting three-digit daily figures -- reached 1,900.

Friday was the first time the number surpassed 300 since March 8, when it stood at 367.

The Seoul metropolitan area accounted for the majority of the 324 cases. Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon respectively detected 125, 102 and 17 cases.

Infections tied to the Seoul-based Sarang Jeil Church continue to account for a growing number of cases in the capital city and its surrounding areas.

As of Friday at noon, 56 cases related to the 4,000-member church were added to increase the total to 732.

The figure is expected to climb further as some 150 sites visited by those suspected of having contracted the virus through the church are under epidemiological investigation.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)