SEOUL — Asymptomatic COVID-19 patients are driving a surge in new cases in South Korea, frustrating efforts to control transmission by the Asian country which managed to keep infections under control in previous outbreaks.
South Korea reported 569 new cases in the 24 hours ending Thursday midnight, a level unseen in nearly nine months, as it grapples with the third wave of the pandemic that appears to be worsening despite tough new social distancing measures.
With young people at the center of the surge, health authorities in South Korea estimate asymptomatic patients now account for 40% of total infections, up sharply from 20-30% in June.
That compares with research evide…
Keep on reading: Symptomless and spreading, S. Korea battles surge in silent COVID-19 cases