New virus cases spike to over 1,000, virus curbs further tightened in S. Korea

The country added 1,092 more COVID-19 cases, including 1,060 local infections, raising the total caseload to 52,550, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The tally marked a jump from 869 cases Tuesday, 926 cases Monday, 1,097 cases Sunday, 1,053 Saturday and 1,062 last Friday.

Seventeen people died from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 739.

Health authorities have been considering whether to raise the country's social distancing guidelines to Level 3, the highest in its five-tier scheme.

However, authorities said they are aiming to contain the current wave of the pandemic without raising virus curbs to Level 3 on concerns over the impact on the economy.

Instead of applying measures that would deal a severe blow to millions of small merchants, health authorities have deployed «targeted» virus curbs.

Starting Wednesday, the greater Seoul area banned gatherings of five or more people. Restaurants in the greater Seoul area will face a fine if they allow gatherings of more than four people. The strongest-ever measures will be applied nationwide starting Thursday as well.

Ski resorts and famous tourism venues will be shut down to slow the spread of the virus during the Christmas and New Year's holiday season.

South Korea has been applying Level 2.5 social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area, home to half of its 51.6 million population, and Level 2 rules in the rest of the country.

Of the newly identified local infections, 373 cases were reported in Seoul and 299 cases in Gyeonggi Province that surrounds the capital. Incheon, west of Seoul, reported 46 more cases.

Other municipalities reported new infections, with the country's largest port city of Busan adding 32 cases and the southern island of Jeju reporting 33 new cases.