New virus cases dip to over 1-month low of 18 on slowing imported cases

SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus cases dipped to more than a month low Thursday as imported cases dwindled from last week's record high over infections traced to the virus-hit Iraq and Russian sailors.

The country added 18 cases, including 11 imported cases, raising the total caseload to 14,269, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The tally marked a sharp decline from 48 new virus cases reported Wednesday and 28 cases Tuesday.

It also marked the lowest since June 22 when the number of new daily cases hit 17.

The country's imported cases have recently surged as infections spiked among South Korean workers returning home from Iraq and Russian sailors. Imported cases, which hit a record 86 on Saturday, have risen by double-digit numbers for 35 straight days.

Of the newly reported imported cases, four cases were from the Philippines, followed by Saudi Arabia with three and the United States with two. The total caseload of cases coming in from overseas reached 2,374.

Infections traced to Russian ships docked in South Korean ports have become a new source of cluster infections here since last month, with the number of related cases hitting 91 so far.

An additional 12 sailors aboard a ship docked in the southeastern port city of Busan tested positive for the virus Wednesday, raising the number of related infections to 44.

In addition, one Russian sailor aboard a cargo ship docked in Incheon, west of Seoul, was also confirmed to have contracted the virus.

Starting Monday, sailors aboard ships departing from Russia will be required to submit a certificate showing they have tested negative for COVID-19 as cluster infections tied to Russian ships have continued to swell.

At least 121 South Korean workers returning from Iraq have been confirmed to have been infected with the virus. Of some 290 people who returned home Friday, 77 workers have tested positive for the virus.

South Korea brought home hundreds of nationals from virus-hit Iraq twice in July and another 70 workers will come back home Friday.

Meanwhile, the country reported seven local infections, with three cases in Seoul and four in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital.

Health authorities are staying vigilant over another wave of virus outbreaks in the summer amid sustained rises in local infections and cases coming in from overseas.

The country reported no additional deaths, with the death toll remaining at 230, according to the KCDC. The fatality rate reached 2.1 percent.

The number of patients fully cured of the virus reached 13,132, up 63 from the previous day.

South Korea has carried out 1,556,215 tests since Jan. 3.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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