SEOUL – South Korea’s new COVID-19 cases dropped below 4,000 on Sunday, but the number of deaths and critically ill patients hit fresh highs, spawning concerns about the further spread of COVID-19 under eased virus restrictions meant for a gradual return to normal life.
The country reported 3,928 new cases, including 3,893 local infections, raising the total caseload to 440,896, Yonhap news agency quoted the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The tally was down from 4,068 on Saturday but higher than 3,901 on Friday. The country reported the highest daily infections of 4,115 on Wednesday.
The decline was largely attributable to less testing over the weekend.
South Korea’s quarantine efforts stand at a critical juncture as it has seen a surge in COVID-19 related deaths and critically ill patients since it began easing virus restrictions on Nov 1 under its three-phase “living with COVID-19” scheme.
The country added a daily record high of 56 more deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, raising the death toll to 3,548. The fatality rate stood at 0.8 per cent.
Critically ill patients also reached an all-time high of 647, marking the fifth straight day such cases stayed above 600.
Health authorities remained on alert over a possible further surge in virus cases during the winter season and the impact of the emergence of the new Omicron variant.
South Korea planned to move to the second, more eased stage in mid-December, but health authorities have warned the country may not be able to do so if the current virus trend continues.
The government plans to unveil a set of quarantine measures Monday to tackle the spike in COVID-19 cases.
On Sunday, South Korea imposed an entry ban on all foreign arrivals from eight African countries, including South Africa and Botswana, in a bid to block the inflow of the potentially more transmissible Omicron variant.
South Korean nationals from those countries are required to be put in a 10-day mandatory quarantine at facilities regardless of whether they have received COVID-19 vaccines.
“Health authorities will continue to monitor the risks of the Omicron variant and consider expanding a list of countries subject to tougher quarantine rules,” the KDCA said.
Indonesia meanwhile is the latest to join the growing number of ASEAN nations that has imposed restriction on travellers from eight African countries, in the wake of the detection of new COVID-19 variant, B.1.1.529 or known as Omicron.
The restriction , effective Monday, applies to travellers from or who have been in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini and Nigeria in the past 14 days according to Indonesia Directorate General of Immigration.
In a statement today, head of public relations and general affairs, Arya Pradhana Anggakara said an order to stop the department from issuing visit visas and limited stay visas for citizens of the countries, except delegates to the G20 meetings in Bali, have been issued.
Indonesia is hosting the meetings and will hold the the G20 Presidency from Dec 1, 2021 until Nov 30, 2022.
On Friday, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines announced curbs on arrival from several nations in south of the African continent. Thailand followed suit on Saturday barring travel to and from eight African nations.
