SEOUL — The number of weekly COVID-19 cases in South Korea has fallen for the ninth consecutive week, with a total of 7,483 new infections reported during the second week of October, marking a 13% decrease compared to the previous week.
According to data provided by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and reported by Yonhap News Agency, seniors aged 60 and above comprised nearly 40% of the new cases, a slight increase from the 37.4% reported a week earlier. The South Korean government lowered the infection level of COVID-19 to Class 4, equivalent to seasonal flu, effective August 31. Since then, the country transitioned to a sample-based positive test reporting system, involving 527 local surveillance organizations.
In response to new variants of the virus, the government initiated vaccinations using new COVID-19 vaccines for seniors, with vaccinations for younger citizens set to begin next month.