South Korea’s virus infections drops below 30 as logistics center outbreak subsides

A long line forms at a COVID-19 testing center last Friday in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, where the Coupang logistics center, which is at the center of the latest outbreak here, is located. Yonhap via The Korea Herald/Asia News Network

SEOUL — South Korea’s new cases of the novel coronavirus dropped below 30 for the first time in five days on a slowdown in infections tied to a logistics center outbreak, health authorities said Sunday.

COVID-19 sickened 27 more people on Sunday from the previous day, putting the total tally at 11,468, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The death toll stood at 270, with one patient succumbing to the virus, it added.

The number of new infections counted daily had spiked up to a two-month high of 79 patients last week in connection to the outbreak at a Coupang logistics center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

The figure has since been on a downward trend, dropping to the 20s on Sunday.

The Coupang center outbreak has sounded the alarm on the dangers of the virus that can trigger mass infections particularly at crowded places, with authorities mulling to impose strict social distancing measures.

Meanwhile, of the new patients, 15 had contracted the disease in the community and 12 were imported cases, according to the KCDC.

By region, 21 patients were from the capital region — 12 from Gyeonggi Province, six from Seoul and three from Incheon — while Ulsan reported two among others.

Seven people were released from isolation upon being declared free of the virus, totaling 10,405 survivors, according to the KCDC.

The number of people who have received virus testing reached 910,822 as of Sunday, up 7,921 from a day earlier.

Of the test takers, 876,060 tested negative, while results for 23,294 were pending, the KCDC said.