South Korea reports record Covid cases after easing restrictions

Covid infections in South Korea have exceeded 4,000 in a day for the first time since the start of the pandemic as a new delta variant continues to spread after it eased social distancing rules.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said most of the new 4,116 cases reported Wednesday came from the capital Seoul and its surrounding metropolitan region, where it has seen an increase in hospitalisations.

The country’s death toll is now 3,363 after 35 virus patients died in the past 24 hours with 586 patients in serious or critical conditions.

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