More than three dozen people have been confirmed with COVID-19 in Gangwon Province as beaches along the eastern coast opened for summer visitors on Friday. 

According to regional health authorities, Gangwon Province confirmed 41 new COVID-19 cases as of 5 p.m. on Friday, including 15 in Gangneung and seven each in Donghae and Wonju. 

Of the 41 cases, 29 were confirmed along the coastal areas, making up 70 percent of the province's caseload so far. 

Eighty-two beaches along the east coast had officially opened earlier in the day. 

The trend is different from a spike in COVID-19 cases the province had seen in December, when cluster infections were linked to an elementary school and a hospital. 

Gangneung, Gangwon Province, is set to adopt Level 3 social distancing on Saturday which would limit private gatherings to four people, with the cap also applying to family members who do not live together.