South Korea is reporting 1,842 newly confirmed coronavirus cases for the previous 24 hours — setting a new pandemic single-day record for the second straight day.
The cases announced Thursday raised the country's total caseload to 184,103, with 2,063 deaths from COVID-19.
The new cases include 270 sailors who were recently flown home after a large-scale outbreak on their destroyer engaging in an anti-piracy mission off East Africa.
South Korea has seen a spike in infections in recent weeks amid a slow vaccination campaign, lax public vigilance and the spread of more contagious delta variant.
The country's daily caseload has been above over 1,000 for 16 consecutive days.
Health officials say they are discussing whether to extend the toughest distancing restrictions imposed on the densely populous Seoul metropolitan area.
