South Korea's daily new virus cases hit another fresh high on Tuesday, health authorities said, as the country battles the fourth wave of the pandemic amid woes over rising delta variant cases and a slow vaccination process, Trend reports citing Yonhap.
As of 9 p.m, the country reported 1,681 new cases, sharply up from 1,157 the same time the previous day, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).
The daily total, to be counted until midnight and announced early Wednesday, may breach the 1,800 mark.
Health authorities earlier warned that the daily virus cases may rise to the mid-2,000s in mid-August, before falling to as low as the 600s by the end of next month, should the fourth wave of the pandemic be brought under control.
As new cases in the greater Seoul area account for 80 percent of the daily caseload, the country implemented a semi-lockdown in the region that centers on banning gatherings of more than two people after 6 p.m.
Under the highest social distancing measures of Level 4, entertainment establishments, including nightclubs and bars, are ordered to shut down in the capital area, while restaurants are allowed to have dine-in customers only until 10 p.m.