coronavirus-additional cases
SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new COVID-19 cases fell below 7,000 on Monday, posting an on-week decline, with the post-pandemic recovery taking hold as the country has almost removed all virus restrictions.
The country reported 6,798 new infection cases, including 22 imported cases, bringing the total caseload to 31,548,083, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.
Monday's tally marks a drop from 7,178 a week earlier and 8,155 logged the week before, showing a steady decline in the virus curve for Monday figures that tend to slow as fewer tests are carried out over the weekend.
The country reported 12 COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 34,687.
The number of critically ill patients came to 159, up by one from Sunday, the KDCA said.
The country is set to downgrade the national crisis level for COVID-19 to "alert" from "serious" in June, following the World Health Organization's declaration on the end of the COVID-19 global health emergency earlier this month.
elly@yna.co.kr
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