S Korea to end Covid restrictions despite surge in cases, deaths

South Korea reported a record 621,328 new daily Covid-19 cases and a daily record 429 deaths, authorities said today, as the country which once took an aggressive anti-pandemic approach is set to end Covid restrictions.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the highly infectious Omicron variant was driving the record wave of infections and while a public survey revealed many expected to catch the virus, few feared serious health consequences.

Daily infections are far higher than health authorities had predicted.

Yesterday, the government said...