▲ People wait in line to get tested for the coronavirus in Songpa, eastern Seoul, on Feb. 7, 2022. (Yonhap)

coronavirus-additional cases

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 35,000 for 4th day amid omicron woes

SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new COVID-19 infections stayed at more than 35,000 cases for four days in a row Tuesday as the highly infectious omicron variant has become the country's dominant strain.

The country reported 36,719 new COVID-19 infections, including 36,619 local cases, raising the total to 1,081,681, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The accumulated virus caseload surpassed a grim milestone of 1 million on Sunday, two years after South Korea reported its first COVID-19 case.

Tuesday's tally is a twofold increase from the levels seen a week ago and more than a fourfold jump from two weeks ago, the KDCA said.

The death toll from COVID-19 came to 6,922, up 36 from Monday. The fatality rate was 0.64 percent, down from 0.66 percent a day earlier.

The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients was 268, down two from a day earlier, the KDCA said. The number has stayed in the 200s range for 11 days in a row.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]