SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) — The number of coronavirus patients in South Korea decreased for the fourth consecutive week last week in the wake of the reduction of the disease’s infection level, authorities said Thursday.
A total of 12,834 infections were reported for the week of Sept. 3-9, lower than 17,613 the previous week, according to the data by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
The numbers were based on data collected from 527 sample surveillance institutions across the country.
The South Korean government lowered the infection level of COVID-19 to Class 4, the lowest level on par with the seasonal flu, starting Aug. 31.
Since then, the country has operated a sample-based positive test reporting system involving 527 local surveillance organizations, suspending the yearslong full-scale testing system.
Based on the new reporting scheme, weekly infections have been on a gradual decrease since the second week of August, when there were 31,558, according to the data.
A makeshift COVID-19 test booth in central Seoul in this photo taken on Aug. 31, 2023 (Yonhap)
brk@yna.co.kr
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