▲ Medical workers collect specimens from people at a makeshift COVID-19 testing facility in Jangsu, North Jeolla Province, on May 11, 2021, in the photo provided by Jangsu County. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

coronavirus-additional cases

New cases back above 600 amid spreading variants

SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases rose back above 600 on Wednesday, with health authorities remaining on alert over a potential spike amid spreading variant cases.

The country reported 635 more COVID-19 cases, including 613 local infections, raising the total caseload to 128,918, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

Wednesday's figure jumped from 511 cases Tuesday, 463 Monday and 564 Sunday though it is lower than the 701 Saturday. The daily caseload usually spikes after weekends as more people get tested.

There was five additional deaths from the virus, raising the total to 1,884. The fatality rate was 1.46 percent.

Of the new locally transmitted cases, 424 cases came from the capital area, with 220 from Seoul, 184 from Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital and 20 from Incheon, just west of Seoul.

South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan reported 10 more cases.

There were 22 additional imported cases, raising the country's total number of imported cases to 8,630.

The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients was 167, down four from the previous day.

The total number of people released from quarantine after making full recoveries was 119,373, up 656 from a day earlier, with 7,661 people being isolated for COVID-19 treatment.

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