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South Korea's daily COVID-19 tally hits new high amid eased virus curbs
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 3,292 people tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day, exceeding the prior record of about 3,270 cases logged in late September.
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People wearing masks stand before a zebra crossing on a cold winter day amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Seoul, South Korea, January 7, 2021. (REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)
S
outh Korea reported a record number of daily coronavirus cases on Thursday, prompting concerns about the government's recent relaxation of antivirus measures.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 3,292 people tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day, exceeding the prior record of about 3,270 cases logged in late September.
The South Korean government implemented its "living with COVID-19" policy on Nov. 1, abolishing restrictions on business hours for restaurants, among other measures.
But the move came with warnings from health authorities that immediate upticks may be inevitable once curbs were eased. Already, concerns are rising about a possible shortage of hospital beds, particularly in the Seoul metropolitan region, as the number of seriously ill patients has increased.
The agency introduced a new tier system on Wednesday to assess the current surge in daily cases and determine whether to continue with the relaxed antivirus policy.
The proportion of South Koreans fully vaccinated against the virus has reached 78.5 percent, according to the authorities.
