Seoul, Dec 7 (IANS): South Korea on Monday reported 615 new coronavirus cases, raising the total infection tally to 38,161.

The daily caseload stayed above 600 for two straight days, rising in triple digits for 30 days since November 8 owing to small cluster infections in Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi province, as well as imported cases, reports Xinhua news agency.

Of the new cases, 231 were Seoul residents and 154 were people residing in Gyeonggi province.

Thirty-five were imported from overseas, lifting the combined figure to 4,743.

Four more fatalities were confirmed, increasing the death toll at 549.

The total fatality rate stood at 1.44 per cent.

A total of 173 more patients were discharged from quarantine after making full recovery, pulling up the combined number to 29,301.

The total recovery rate was 76.78 per cent.

Since January 3, the country has tested more than 3.20 million people, among whom 3,103,205 tested negative for the virus and 68,010 are being checked.