Seoul, Dec 26: South Korean officials have warned of a third wave of coronavirus, as a resurgence in cases continues over the Christmas period.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency recorded 1,132 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, which was the country’s second-highest daily increase after 1,241 on Christmas Day.
South Korea has been seen as one of the countries to have responded best to the pandemic since it began, but has seen significant coronavirus outbreaks in prisons, nursing homes and churches recently—leading to officials asking people to stop end-of-year gatherings.
Health minister Kwon Deok-cheol said: “The virus is spreading whenever and wherever it wants.”
Warning that the country was standing “at the crossroads of the third wave,” he said people were being infected by friends and family at small gatherings.
