S. Korea's COVID-19 cases exceed 80,000 amid tough virus curbs

SEOUL. KAZINFORM South Korea surpassed a grim milestone in its battle against the coronavirus pandemic as its total COVID-19 caseload broke the 80,000 mark Friday.

The country added 370 more COVID-19 cases, including 351 local infections, raising the total caseload to 80,131, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Yonhap reports.

Daily infections fell from 467 on Wednesday and 451 on Tuesday after staying under 400 the three previous days.

The KDCA said it will decide on whether to adjust the current social distancing rules on Saturday ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday that falls later next week.

As of 6 p.m. Friday, the country added 294 more cases, down 24 from the same time Thursday, according to health authorities and local governments. New cases are counted until midnight each day and announced the next morning.

New virus infections had been slowing down since the third wave of the pandemic peaked at a record high of 1,241 daily cases on Dec. 25.

But the number recently spiked due mainly to cluster infections from unauthorized education facilities run by a local Christian missionary group, called the International Mission (IM).

Group infections have been reported from private gatherings and various facilities as well.

Amid a flare-up in virus cases, the KDCA on Sunday extended Level 2.5 social distancing rules, the second highest in a five-tier scheme, in the greater Seoul area and Level 2 measures in other regions until Feb. 14.

Cases tied to IM education facilities stood at 394, up five from the previous day. Infections traced to a general hospital in southeastern Seoul rose by four to 73, and cases involving a welfare facility in central Seoul climbed by two to 78. The number of virus patients linked to a church in Seocheon, 235 kilometers southwest of Seoul, rose by two to 44.

Under the extended rules, gatherings of five or more people are also banned across almost the entire country.

Authorities remain cautious about easing social distancing rules before the Lunar New Year holiday, saying relaxing the curbs runs the risk of an uptick as cluster infections have continued to pop up at religious facilities, hospitals and other risk-prone establishments.

Of the 351 new local infections announced early Friday, 122 cases were reported in Seoul and 110 cases in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, 40 kilometers west of Seoul, reported 25 more cases.