South Korea reported 583 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, topping 500 for the first time in eight months as the country battles a third wave of infections.

Of the 583 cases, 553 were locally transmitted, with 402 coming from the greater Seoul area, home to half of the country’s population, said the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

This is the first time the daily caseload has exceeded 500 since Mar. 6 when the country experienced its first massive outbreak in the southeastern city of Daegu. The second wave of infections in late August had peaked at 441 cases.

Daily new cases have remained in triple digits since early this month. The number has been sharply rising this week, from 271 on Monday to 349 on Tuesday and 382 on Wednesday.

The infections came sporadically across the country from saunas and aerobic centers to hospitals and the military.

The spread among young people in their 20s and 30s has been particularly alarming, with their portion among the infected up 28 percent in less than a month.

On Tuesday, the government raised the social distancing level by one notch to level 2, the third-highest in the country`s five-tier system, in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Under the new restrictions, nightclubs and other high-risk entertainment facilities are banned, and visitors to wedding and funeral halls limited to less than 100 people. Coffee shops can only offer takeout while restaurants need to cease indoor dining after 9 p.m.

By Pulse

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