eFM News

South Korea reported 35 new coronavirus infections on Monday as authorities continue to be on alert for possible mass outbreaks.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 30 of the cases confirmed in the previous 24-hour period were locally transmitted and five were imported from abroad, raising the country's total caseload to 11,503.

One fatality was also confirmed bringing the death toll to 271 while the recovery figure rose by 17 to 10,422.

Although most of the new cases were tied to a cluster of infections that emerged from a distribution facility in Bucheon run by e-commerce giant Coupang, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said that situation appeared to be getting under control with a slowdown in related new cases.

At least 111 coronavirus patients have been linked to the Coupang cluster.

Park stressing during a daily government response meeting that the public needs to remain cautious and practice everyday life quarantine, noting that there have been some situations where infections could not be traced while small, sporadic outbreaks continue to pop up in cram schools and churches.

The minister emphasized the next two weeks will be important to curb the spread of the virus.

With regard to the outbreak in Seoul's Itaewon nightlife area, the KCDC said related cases reached 270 as of Sunday, up one from the previous day.