Still unexplained
The hunt for the origins of Covid-19 has for the past four years been a tangled web of politics, power struggles, and international finger-pointing.
South Korea reported 57 more cases of the COVID-19 compared to 24 hours ago as of 12 am on Sunday, raising the total number of infections to 11,776.
The daily caseload hovered above 50 for the second straight day due to small cluster infections relevant to religious gatherings, night spots, a distribution centre and a health product retailer in the metropolitan area.
Of the new cases, four were imported from overseas, lifting the combined figure to 1,292.
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No more death was confirmed, leaving the death toll at 273. The total fatality rate stood at 2.32 per cent.
The country has been held up as a global model in how to curb the virus and has rushed to contain new infections as life returns to normal.
More than two million students returned to classes in May as part of the phased reopening of schools.
Some high schools were forced to turn back pupils shortly after resuming classes last week over concerns of new virus cases in their neighbourhood.
Last month, President Moon Jae-in urged the public to remain vigilant as the capital has ordered the closure of all clubs and bars after a burst of new cases sparked fears of a second coronavirus wave.
The country endured one of the worst early outbreaks of the disease outside mainland China, and while it never imposed a compulsory lockdown, strict social distancing had been widely observed since March.
Since January 3, the country has tested more than 1.01 million people, among whom 974,512 tested negative for the virus and 26,481 are being checked.
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