New COVID-19 cases fell to the 20-thousand range amid a clear downturn in infections.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Friday that 26-thousand-714 cases were compiled throughout the previous day, including 23 overseas infections, bringing the total caseload to 17-million-464-thousand-782.

The daily tally dropped by about 15-thousand from a day ago and halved from a week ago. It marks the lowest for Friday tallies in 14 weeks.

The number of patients in critical care also dropped by 18 to 423, remaining in the 400s for the seventh consecutive day.

The number of COVID-19 deaths fell by 31 to 48, the lowest since February 21. The death toll came to 23-thousand-206, with the fatality rate standing at zero-point-13 percent.

The occupancy rate of ICU beds for critically ill patients nationwide stands at 21-point-five percent, while nearly 250-thousand people are recovering from COVID-19 at home, down 23-hundred from a day ago.