The number of non-Koreans in the country infected with COVID-19 continues to rise amid a persistent fourth wave of the pandemic.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said Tuesday that two-thousand-305 foreigners residing in the country tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week, accounting for some 16 percent of all COVID-19 cases at the time. 

The agency found that 208 per 100-thousand foreigners tested positive in the past week, nearly nine times higher than the rate posted among South Koreans. 

Most cases were centered in the Seoul metropolitan area and involved those in their 20s and 30s. The number of cases has been steadily on the rise since the end of June.

The agency also found that the vaccination rate for foreigners was lower than that of South Koreans. As of 12 a.m. Sunday, 65-point-seven percent had received at least one shot while 24-point-four percent were fully vaccinated.

In particular, only some 54 percent of unregistered immigrants had received at least one dose. The government plans to boost cooperation among related agencies to encourage them to take vaccinations.