S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases fall to 4,000s on fewer tests

▲ This photo shows a COVID-19 testing center at Terminal 1 in Incheon International Airport, the main gateway to South Korea, west of Seoul, on March 29, 2023. (Yonhap)

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S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases fall to 4,000s on fewer tests

SEOUL, April 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell to the 4,000 level Monday due to fewer tests conducted on the weekend.

The country reported 4,349 new COVID-19 infections, including 18 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 30,843,900, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.

The Monday tally was down from 9,724 the previous day but slightly up from 4,204 a week ago.

The Monday figure has been hovering around the 4,000s for the past seven weeks.

The country added seven more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 34,281.

The number of critically ill patients came to 136, up from the previous day's 131.

South Korea eased most of its virus curbs last month, including the indoor mask mandate on public transportation.

Authorities are mulling the appropriate timing to treat COVID-19 as an endemic disease, the next step toward returning to pre-pandemic normalcy.

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