The government has urged the public to abide by quarantine guidelines as the daily COVID-19 tally remains high.

In a COVID-19 response meeting held Saturday, Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol said that while spring has arrived, the pandemic situation is still precarious.

He said daily domestic cases averaged about 370 over the past two weeks and the figure is not showing signs of going down.

The health chief said that infections in the greater metro area have increased to account for almost 80 percent of the nationwide total this week, compared to 75 percent last week.

Kwon also expressed concern over cluster outbreaks at workplaces hiring a large number of migrant workers, saying they work in cramped spaces and tend to live together and due to language barriers, may not be aware of safety and distancing guidelines.

The government is currently inspecting some 12-thousand businesses in Seoul and surrounding areas that employ migrant workers while preemptive COVID-19 testing is under way at 20 locations.

The minister said that undocumented immigrants can get tested for free by providing only their contact information and that the government also provides for their hospitalization and treatment.

Kwon also called for thorough quarantine inspections at shopping malls and tourist spots where large crowds are expected over the weekend.