S. KOREA'S COVID-19 SITUATION

[Anchor Lead]

For a brief moment, South Korea added some 9,900 new COVID-19 cases as of the midnight on Monday. The daily tally hit below 10,000 for the first time in about four months. But it is too early to get complacent, with eased procedures for entering the nation.

[Pkg]

Travel agency employees are busy receiving inquiry calls. The most popular program is the one that includes coronavirus tests that are conducted by local medical workers at the hotel before returning home.

[Soundbite] "There is a program that includes one rapid antigen test. Are you interested?"

Inquiries about overseas trips are surging, as rapid antigen test conducted by medical professionals alongside PCR test are also acknowledged as a prerequisite for entering the nation.

[Soundbite] Koo Ye-won(Travel Agency Executive) : "Customers’ inquiry calls have increased some 30 percent from the previous week. Reservations are also jumping 2.5 times. A growing number of customers who booked domestic trips are calling in to switch to overseas trips."

As of midnight Monday, 9,975 people tested positive, bringing down the daily tally to below 10,000 for the first time in 118 days. Despite the usual drop in testing over the weekend, the number of new cases decreased by some 3,000 from the previous week and about 10,000 compared to two weeks ago. While assessing the continuing downward trend as a positive sign, health authorities predict that the number of new patients will inevitably remain stagnant at some point.

[Soundbite] Kim Heon-ju(Central Disease Control HQs(May 20)) : "It is likely a new wave will begin this summer and reach the peak by Sept. or Oct."

The World Health Organization also warned that the pandemic will not be over unless its end is declared in all countries around the world. It noted that the number of new patients are rising again in some 70 countries.