South Korea sees highest daily virus cases since March

ANKARA

South Korea reported 583 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily number since March, local media reported on Thursday.

With new infections, the total caseload in the country rose to 32,318, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency data.

Two new fatalities raised the death toll in the country to 515.

On March 6, South Korea recorded 518 daily cases due to an outbreak in the southeastern city of Daegu.

Later in August, South Korea recorded 441 cases in a single day.

Since Nov. 8, the number of virus cases in the country is rising again.

"We are now in a situation where virus outbreaks can happen at any place we live in," Yonhap quoted country's Health Minister Park Neung-hoo as saying.

"With the third wave of infections bulking up its size and pace, we must strictly follow social distancing rules," he added.

All of the 17 major cities and provinces reported new virus cases, while 402 infections were reported in the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country's population.

Local authorities consider to bringing tough restrictions to contain the spread of virus in major cities, according to the news agency.

Military vacations ban

Meanwhile, South Korean military has temporarily banned all troops from vacationing and taking off-installation trips.

Until Dec. 7, all troops will be subject to tightened social distancing rules in barracks, with vacationing and off-installation visits to be suspended starting Friday, Yonhap quoted the Defense Ministry as saying.

The announcement came a day after 66 South Korean soldiers and four officers tested positive for the virus at an army boot camp in the central border town of Yeoncheon, bringing the total number of cases in the military to 341.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid