South Korea reported its biggest daily rise in new Covid-19 cases and a top health official warned the numbers may nearly double by the end of July, even as the country considers imposing a semi-lockdown in hard-hit Seoul.
The 1,275 cases in the 24 hours to midnight yesterday, reported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), exceeds the number of daily cases reported at the peak of the country's third wave in December.
Around 80% of the 1,275 locally transmitted cases were recorded in the greater Seoul area, comprising the capital, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon city, KDCA data showed.
Health authorities said Seoul would meet the criteria for Level 4 social distancing measures with a three-day streak of new case numbers