South Korea confirmed 43 more novel coronavirus cases Wednesday, with five occurring in the central city of Daejeon, health authorities said Wednesday.

Korea had a total of 12,198 infections, up 43 from the previous day, as of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, recording a slight increase in its daily tally after it hovered in the 40s for three days, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One patient died from COVID-19, pushing the death toll to 279, the KCDC added.

Community spread accounted for 31 of the new cases, including 25 in the capital area -- 12 in Seoul, 11 in Gyeonggi Province and two in Incheon -- five in Daejeon and one in South Chungcheong Province, according to the KCDC.

The number of imported cases came to 12, of which seven were diagnosed at airport checkpoints.

Amid confusion over the safety and efficacy of the anti-malaria drug chloroquine, touted by US President Donald Trump, two major general hospitals in the capital have halted clinical trials of the drug, hospital officials said.

An Asan Medical Center official said that was “not just because of the FDA decision” but also due to “difficulties in recruiting patients,” according to Yonhap News Agency.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)