New COVID-19 cases fell by more than three-thousand to stay below 40-thousand amid a downward trend in infections.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Friday that 32-thousand-451 infections were confirmed throughout the previous day, including 15 cases from overseas.

The country's accumulated caseload came to 17-million-727-thousand-86.

The number of critically ill patients dropped by seven from a day ago to 347, down 94 from the daily average of the previous week.

Thursday saw 52 deaths, raising the death toll to 23-thousand-606. The fatality rate stands at zero-point-13 percent.