SKorea sets daily records for new coronavirus cases, deaths

SEOUL – South Korea again broke its regular records for coronavirus infections and deaths and confirmed 3 much cases of the caller omicron variant arsenic officials scramble to tighten societal distancing and borderline controls.

The 5,352 caller cases reported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency connected Saturday marked the 3rd clip this week the regular tally exceeded 5,000. The country’s decease toll was astatine 3,809 aft a grounds 70 microorganism patients died successful the past 24 hours, portion the 752 patients successful superior oregon captious conditions were besides an all-time high.

As the delta-driven surge threatens to overwhelm infirmary systems, determination is besides interest astir the section dispersed of the omicron variant, which is seen arsenic perchance much infectious than erstwhile strains of the virus.

The country’s omicron caseload is present astatine 9 aft KDCA confirmed 3 much cases. The caller cases see the wife, mother-in-law and a person of a antheral who caught omicron from a mates helium drove location from the airdrome aft they arrived from Nigeria connected Nov. 24. The couple’s teenage kid and 2 different women who besides traveled to Nigeria person besides been infected with omicron.

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Officials accidental the fig of omicron cases could emergence arsenic immoderate of the patients had attended a religion gathering involving hundreds of radical connected Nov. 28.

While the emergence of omicron has triggered planetary alarm and pushed governments astir the satellite to tighten their borders, scientists accidental it remains unclear whether the caller variant is much contagious, much apt to evade the extortion provided by vaccines oregon much apt to origin superior illnesses than erstwhile versions of the virus.

Starting adjacent week, backstage societal gatherings of 7 oregon much radical volition beryllium banned successful the densely populated superior Seoul and adjacent metropolitan areas, which person been deed hardest by delta and are present moving retired of intensive attraction units.

To fend disconnected omicron, South Korea has required each passengers arriving from overseas implicit the adjacent 2 weeks to quarantine for astatine slightest 10 days, careless of their nationality oregon vaccination status. The state has banned short-term overseas travelers arriving from 9 African nations, including South Africa and Nigeria.

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