SEOUL, March 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea confirmed 376 more cases of the COVID-19 as of 9:00 a.m. local time Sunday, raising the total number of infections to 3,526.

The death toll was unchanged at 17.

The virus infection soared in the past 11 days, with 3,119 new cases reported on Feb. 19-29. The country has raised its four-tier virus alert to the highest "red" level.

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

Of the new patients, 333 were residents in Daegu, about 300 km southeast of the capital Seoul, and 26 came from its surrounding North Gyeongsang province.

The total number of infections in Daegu and North Gyeongsang province increased to 2,569 and 514 respectively.

Since Jan. 3, the country has tested more than 96,000 people, among whom 61,037 tested negative for the COVID-19 virus and 32,422 were being checked.

Two more patients were discharged from quarantine after making full recovery, lifting the combined number to 30.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed Sunday to overcome the COVID-19 outbreak through national unity at home and in cooperation with neighboring countries.

"The March 1 Independence Movement once again reminds us that we can prevail over anything as long as we stand together," Moon said in a televised address to commemorate the 101st March 1 Independence Movement Day, a 1919 public uprising against Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

"All the people will come together and overcome even today's crisis without fail," Moon said.

We have overcome countless hardships... Even now, the people are all coming together. We will be able to overcome the COVID-19 outbreak and revive our shrunken economy," Moon said.

Moon cited as the examples of national unity the so-called good landlord campaign, under which landlords lowered rent for microbusiness owners voluntarily in traditional markets and shopping complexes.

Also cited were voluntary doctors and nurses in the hardest-hit southeastern region, donations and relief supplies sent by companies and ordinary citizens, and large businesses' helping hand to small companies.

"We are all the principal agents of quarantine efforts. There is nothing we cannot do if we trust each other and cooperate," Moon said.

Moon emphasized the need for international cooperation in the fight against unconventional security threats such as disasters and catastrophes, climate change and the spread of infectious diseases, international terrorism and cybercrimes.

"We can respond to unconventional security threats only when we strengthen cooperation, not only with North Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) but also with adjacent countries like China and Japan and nearby Southeast Asian nations," Moon added.■