Photo: AFP

South Korean health authority received reports of 594 more cases of novel coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the total number to 2,931. 

As of 9:00 a.m. local time, the number of infected patients totaled 2,931, up 594 from the previous day. Three more deaths were reported, lifting the combined death toll to 16.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has updated the data twice a day at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 pm local time.

Of the new patients, 476 were residents in Daegu, about 300 km southeast of the capital Seoul, and 60 came from its surrounding North Gyeongsang province.

The total number of infections in Daegu and North Gyeongsang province increased to 2,055 and 469 respectively.

The virus infection jumped in recent days, with 2,306 new cases reported on Feb. 19-28. The country has raised its four-tier virus alert to the highest "red" level.

Since Jan. 3, the country has tested more than 85,000 people, among whom 53,608 tested negative for the COVID-19 virus and 29,154 were being checked.

(With inputs from Xinhua)