Thirty-one additional cases of COVID-19 have been reported overnight in South Korea, raising the total number in the country to 82.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC) on Thursday said 30 out of the 31 latest cases were reported in the southeastern city of Daegu and its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province, with one other in Seoul.

Twenty-three out of 30 patients in the Daegu area came into contact with the country's 31st patient while attending services at a religious sect, while two others were infected at a hospital in the provincial county of Cheongdo.

Another 14 people who attended the same religious services as the 31st patient were confirmed to have contracted the virus on Wednesday.

With the latest additions, there have been a total of 48 confirmed cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province since the 31st patient was confirmed on Monday.