Seoul, Apr 18 (IANS): South Korea reported 18 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, marking the lowest daily increase in about two months.

The new cases brought the country's total infections to 10,653, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

It is the first time since February 20 that the country's new COVID-19 infections came below 20, reports Yonhap News Agency.

Over the past five days, the country reported fewer than 30 new patients per day.

The number of South Korea's daily new cases reached a peak of 909 confirmed cases on February 29, but the country has since managed to flatten the curve amid stringent quarantine and social distancing measures.

"From Monday (April 20), we've seen a total of 141 new patients, which is down 40 percent from the past week. It is about a quarter compared to two weeks earlier," Vice Health Minister Kim Ganglip told a regular briefing.

The country's death toll came to 232, as two more coronavirus deaths were added on Friday.

Despite the downward trend, the government has been on high vigilance and called for strict adherence to anti-virus measures and the social distancing campaign, adding that it will announce its decision Sunday on whether to change its quarantine regime to put more focus on supporting the everyday lives of people.