South Korea reports 586 new coronavirus cases, tally tops 3,700

South Korean health authorities on Sunday reported 586 additional cases of the new coronavirus, taking the national tally to 3,736.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement that 469 of the new cases were in the city of Daegu, the epicenter of the nation's outbreak of COVID-19.

The death toll from the virus rose by one from the previous day to 18, it said.

Sunday is a public holiday commemorating the March 1 Independence Movement against Japanese colonial rule. Although various events are normally held, observance was muted this year amid calls to avoid going out to avoid contracting the virus.

In a speech delivered at an annual commemoration ceremony, President Moon Jae In said the government is now "waging all-out responses after raising the crisis alert to the highest level."

Also Sunday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry raised its risk information level for Daegu and the neighboring county of Cheongdo, also hit hard by the outbreak, to "Level 3," which is a suspension of travel advisory just below the highest level.

(A child wears a mask while riding a scooter in Seoul on Feb. 27, 2020)[Getty/Kyodo]