S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 20,000 for 3rd day

coronavirus-additional cases

S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 20,000 for 3rd day

SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed above 20,000 for the third consecutive day Thursday as President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an end to almost all COVID-19 restrictions in the latest step to return to pre-pandemic normalcy.

South Korea reported 20,574 cases, including 32 imported cases, bringing the total caseload to 31,351,686, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

Thursday's tally fell from the previous day's 23,521 infections, a three-month high, but was about 400 higher than the same day last week.

The country added 12 COVID-19 deaths Thursday, raising the death toll to 34,583.

The number of critically ill patients rose for the fifth consecutive day to 157, the KDCA said.

On Thursday, Yoon said that the seven-day mandatory isolation period for COVID-19 patients will be reduced to a recommendation of five days.

Yoon also said the indoor mask mandate will be lifted everywhere except for hospitals with rooms for hospitalization, and the national crisis level for COVID-19 will be lowered from "serious" to "alert."

The World Health Organization has recently announced that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency.

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