Korea's top health official has warned that it could take a long time to end the coronavirus epidemic.

Jung Eun-kyeong, the chief of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Monday that the coronavirus epidemic will "ebb and flow repeatedly and possibly surge again when winter comes and conditions become ripe for viruses to thrive."

Many experts have warned against a second surge in infections.

"Not much is known about immunity following infection, so this could become a drawn-out battle," she warned. "There is a possibility of the epidemic continuing for a year, longer-term or several years."

On Monday nine new cases were reported, bringing the total number of infections to 10,683. Seoul saw no new infections on Sunday for the first time in 57 days, but had two new cases the following day.