New virus cases under 30 for 2nd day on slowing imported cases; local infections at 1-week low

SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- The number of daily new coronavirus cases in South Korea stayed below 30 for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as both imported and local cases showed a clear sign of a slowdown.

The country added 28 new cases, including 23 cases coming in from abroad, bringing the total to 14,203, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The number of new cases reached a four-month high of 113 on Saturday as imported cases set a new record of 86 due mainly to infections among South Korean workers returning home from Iraq and Russian sailors.

The daily new cases dropped to 25 on Monday as imported cases fell sharply, but the country is still on guard against a steady rise in cases coming in from overseas with the gradual resumption of global air travel. The number of imported cases has risen by double-digit figures for more than a month.

As of Monday, at least 120 South Korean workers returning from Iraq have been confirmed to have contracted the virus. Of 290 people who returned home Friday, 76 workers have tested positive for the virus so far,

Since June, South Korea has also detected 78 virus cases from eight Russian ships docked here.

South Korea's efforts to contain domestic cases seem to be successful, with just five cases added on Tuesday.

The country had been grappling with sporadic cluster infections tied to nightlife establishments, door-to-door sales businesses, churches and senior nursing homes.

Of the five locally transmitted cases reported on Tuesday, three came from the capital city of Seoul.

Cases tied to a nursing home in western Seoul reached 28 as of Monday, up three cases from the previous day. Infections traced to an office in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak added one case to 38 as well.

The southern port city of Busan added one new case, with Gyeonggi Province that surrounds Seoul also adding one additional infection.

Health authorities have been keeping a watchful eye on cases tied to Russian sailors that led to domestic infections. A total of nine locally transmitted cases, traced to a Russian ship, have been identified so far.

South Korea gave the go-ahead to all church gatherings on Friday. Over the previous two weeks, meetings other than regular worship services were banned amid an increase in church-tied cluster infections.

Spectators were also allowed to attend sports events over the weekend on a limited basis, starting with baseball games.

The country reported one more death, raising the death toll to 300, according to the KCDC.

The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,007, up 102 from the previous day.

colin@yna.co.kr
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