Daily COVID-19 cases climbed to over 56-thousand to hit a new high on Sunday amid the rapid spread of the omicron variant.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday that 56-thousand-431 infections were confirmed throughout the previous day, including 134 cases from overseas. The total caseload came to one million-350-thousand-630.
The daily tally rose by some 15-hundred from a day ago and hit new highs for the second straight day despite fewer tests over the weekend.
It is above 50-thousand for a fourth consecutive day amid the rampant spread of the omicron variant.
The number of critically ill patients rose by 13 from the previous day to 288, remaining in the 200s for the 16th consecutive day.
Thirty-six deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to seven-thousand-81. The fatality rate stands at zero-point-52 percent.
While the ICU occupancy rate for COVID-19 patients remains stable at 22-point-two percent nationwide, the number of home-treatment patients jumped by over 15-thousand to nearly 215-thousand. It surpassed 200-thousand for the first time.
Source: KBS World Radio