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S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases above 35,000 for 4th day amid omicron woes

Feb. 8, 2022 - 09:59 By Yonhap
People wait in line to get tested for the coronavirus in Songpa, eastern Seoul, on Monday. (Yonhap)
South Korea's new COVID-19 infections stayed at more than 35,000 cases for four days in a row Tuesday as the highly infectious omicron variant has become the country's dominant strain. 

The country reported 36,719 new COVID-19 infections, including 36,619 local cases, raising the total to 1,081,681, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The accumulated virus caseload surpassed a grim milestone of 1 million on Sunday, two years after South Korea reported its first COVID-19 case.

Tuesday's tally is a twofold increase from the levels seen a week ago and more than a fourfold jump from two weeks ago, the KDCA said.

The death toll from COVID-19 came to 6,922, up 36 from Monday.

The fatality rate was 0.64 percent, down from 0.66 percent a day earlier.

The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients was 268, down two from a day earlier, the KDCA said. The number has stayed in the 200s range for 11 days in a row. (Yonhap)