South Korea reports 2 deaths linked to Omicron variant of Covid-19

Two deaths in connection with the Omicron variant of Covid-19 were reported in South Korea on Monday, according to health officials.

These are reportedly the first deaths in the country linked to the highly transmissible variant, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Health authorities in Gwangju, 329 kM south of Seoul, said two recently deceased coronavirus patients in the city, both in their 90s, have posthumously tested positive for the Omicron variant.

The patients, who died on December 27 and 29, respectively, both tested positive for Covid-19 at a senior care hospital in the city at an earlier date.

Health authorities are looking into the exact causes of the deaths.

On Monday, South Korea confirmed 111 more Omicron variant infections, bringing the total to 1,318.

Among them, 101 Omicron variant cases came from overseas and 10 were locally transmitted, the report said.

Meanwhile, the country's daily coronavirus cases stayed below 4,000 for the second straight day on Monday as the country has extended the enforcement of its tighter social distancing measures for two more weeks to stem a surge in infections and the spread of the Omicron variant.

The country added 3,129 new Covid-19 infections, including 2,993 local infections, raising the total caseload to 642,207, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

This marked the second straight day that the daily cases fell below 4,000 following 3,833 infections reported on Sunday.

South Korea reported 36 more Covid-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 5,730, the KDCA said.

The fatality rate stood at 0.89 per cent.

--IANS

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