▲ This photo, provided by Asan Medical Center in Seoul on Sept. 21, 2021, shows a COVID-19 patient being moved around in an ambulance. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

coronavirus-additional cases

New cases slightly over 1,700; concerns grow over further spread after Chuseok holiday

SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily coronavirus cases increased to over 1,700 on Tuesday despite fewer tests over the weekend, adding to woes that infections could further increase after the Chuseok holiday.

The country reported an additional 1,729 COVID-19 cases, including 1,697 local infections, raising the total caseload to 289,263, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

It was the third straight day the daily caseload fell under 2,000, but the latest figure marked the country's highest-ever figure for a Monday, the KDCA data showed. The daily tally is counted until midnight and announced the following morning.

The country added four more deaths from COVID-19 on the day, raising the death toll to 2,413.

The fourth wave of the pandemic, which began in July, has not shown signs of letting up, with the daily caseload staying above 1,000 for 77 consecutive days on Tuesday amid the fast spread of the more transmissible delta variant nationwide.

Of the total locally transmitted caseload reported Tuesday, around 77 percent were from Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan regions.

Health authorities remain on high alert as the virus could spread in non-capital regions in a fast manner after the five-day break for Chuseok, the Korean harvest holiday, set to run through Wednesday, when a large number of people usually travel across the nation.

Earlier this month, the government extended the highest social distancing rules of Level 4 of its four-tier system for Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, and Level 3 for other regions until Oct. 3.

But it eased some restrictions, allowing family gatherings of up to eight people on the condition that four of them are fully vaccinated. Instead, it has been enforcing special quarantine steps, such as running makeshift test centers at major bus terminals and train stations to continue to ensure a thorough diagnosis system.

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