(LEAD) S. Korea's COVID-19 cases fall to 2-month low amid Chuseok holiday

(ATTN: UPDATES with latest figures in last 3 paras)

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- New COVID-19 cases fell to about a two-month low on Sunday due largely to fewer tests conducted over the Chuseok holiday amid the gradual slowdown of the spread of the virus in recent weeks.

The country reported 28,214 new COVID-19 infections, including 228 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 24,004,887, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

Sunday's tally marked a sharp decrease from the previous day's 42,724 amid the Chuseok holiday, or the Korean fall harvest celebration. The holiday started Friday and runs through Monday.

It was also the lowest daily count since July 18, when the figure came to 26,275. For any Sunday, it marked the lowest since July 10, when the figure stood at 20,383.

South Korea added 47 COVID-19 deaths Sunday, compared with 48 the previous day. The death toll came to 27,476.

The number of critically ill patients stood at 532, up from the previous day's 525.

Daily infections have been on a steady decline after peaking at around 180,000 in mid-August in the latest virus resurgence.

But South Korea saw a slight uptick in the midnight-9 p.m. period Sunday, reporting 35,625 new cases, up by 8,460 from the same timeframe Saturday. Daily cases are counted until midnight and announced the following morning.

The government had earlier called for vigilance against the virus, as the country is experiencing heavy travel during the Chuseok holiday, when Koreans normally head back to their hometowns for family reunions. This is the first long holiday weekend without social distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Korea has averaged 62,267 cases over the past seven days.

graceoh@yna.co.kr
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