South Korea mulls reopening schools

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea reported only 10 new cases of the coronavirus, its 26th straight day below 100 as officials mulled reopening schools amid the slowing caseload.

Lighted rooms at the Millennium Hilton hotel show in the shape of a smiley face to send messages of hope to the people amid the coronavirus outbreak in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, April 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

The figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday brought the national totals to 10,738 cases and 243 deaths.

At least 1,044 infections have been linked to international arrivals, but such cases have also declined in recent weeks amid tightened border controls.

Using an active test-and-quarantine program, South Korea has so far managed to slow its outbreak without imposing lockdowns or business bans.

But schools remain shut while providing children remote learning.

Prime Minster Chung Sye-kyun during a virus meeting Monday instructed education officials to prepare measures to ensure hygiene and enforce distance between students at schools so the government could announce a timeline for reopening schools no later than early May.

GSG