Daily COVID-19 cases fell by more than 20-thousand from the previous day to the 70-thousands on Thursday.

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Thursday, 71-thousand-471 cases were confirmed throughout the previous day, including 352 from overseas.

The country's cumulative caseload came to about 24 million-264-thousand.

The daily tally dropped by some 22-thousand from Wednesday, when it jumped by over 36-thousand from a day earlier after the long Chuseok holiday. The figure is down over one-thousand from a week ago and ten-thousand from two weeks ago.

The number of seriously or critically ill hospitalized patients is down by 16 from the previous day to 491, falling below 500 for the first time in a week.

Wednesday reported 72 deaths, raising the death toll to 27-thousand-665. The fatality rate stands at zero-point-11 percent.

The occupancy rate of ICU beds for critically ill COVID-19 patients nationwide fell below 30 percent.