SEOUL, South Korea’s new COVID-19 cases stayed below 60,000 for the third consecutive day Saturday amid signs that the virus wave may have reached a plateau although concerns linger over a surge in winter.

The country reported 52,861 new COVID-19 infections, including 55 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 27,261,526, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

Saturday’s count is little changed from the previous day’s 52,987 and 52,788 from a week ago, possibly reflecting a pause in the spread.

South Korea added 48 more deaths from COVID-19, putting the death toll at 30,669, the KDCA said.

The number of critically ill patients stood at 442, down from 460 tallied the previous day.

Health authorities have called for vigilance against the virus, encouraging the public to get upgraded booster shots, citing the emergence of new variants and increased indoor activities in the winter.

Source: Yonhap News Agency