S. Korea at critical juncture for virus containment amid rising Itaewon-linked infections

The country reported 35 more cases of the new coronavirus Monday, the biggest single day spike since April 9, bringing the nation's total infections to 10,909, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), Yonhap reports.

The country had been adding fewer than 15 cases of COVID-19 since mid-April, with the number of domestic infections even falling to zero at some points, before rebounding to 18 and 34 cases over the weekend.

Six of the newly added cases Monday were imported, while the remaining 29 cases were link to clubbers.

The hike came after a man in his 20s who tested positive for COVID-19 visited clubs and bars in Seoul's popular multicultural neighborhood of Itaewon on May 1. More than 1,500 people were believed to have visited those places during the time with the virus patient.

So far, virus infections linked to the places have totaled 85 nationally as of 10:00 a.m., according to Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.

The Seoul government has secured a list of more than 5,500 people who have visited clubs in Itaewon from April 24 through Wednesday, and have made contact with more than 2,400 of them so far. Some 3,000 people, however, are still out of contact.

Health authorities said people who have visited Itaewon over the period should take tests for COVID-19, even if they do not show symptoms.

After keeping local infections at zero for a few days, South Korea saw an unexpected spike in cases coming from entertainment facilities in the popular area, with infections reported not only in Seoul but across the country.

The surge in new virus cases came as the country eased social distancing guidelines last week, and schools are set to gradually open.

Imported cases, which used to be the biggest threat for South Korea's quarantine operations over recent days, are now less of a concern.

The total number of imported cases came to 1,133.

The nation's death toll remained unchanged at 256, the KCDC said.

It marked the fourth consecutive day for South Korea to add no additional virus deaths. The mortality rate stood at 2.35 percent.

In total, 9,632 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 22 from a day earlier. The figure translates into 88 percent of patients here being fully cured of the disease.

The country has carried out tests on 668,492 people since Jan. 3, including 4,606 from a day earlier.