Daily COVID-19 cases hit an all-time high at over 13-thousand on Wednesday amid signs that the fifth wave of the pandemic triggered by the highly transmissible omicron variant has now begun. 

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) said 13-thousand-12 cases were registered throughout Tuesday, bringing the total caseload to 762-thousand-983. 

Jumping by over four-thousand from the previous record set on Tuesday, the latest figure hit five digits for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic in January 2020.

The new figure is more than double compared to a week ago and nearly triple two weeks ago. 

The omicron wave has yet to notably affect critical cases or deaths with serious and critical cases hitting 385, down by seven from the previous day. Thirty-two people died of the virus on Tuesday, raising the death toll to six-thousand-620 as the fatality rate dropped to zero-point-87 percent. 

Authorities, however, say there is a high possibility the number of critical cases and deaths could rise again in two or three weeks. 

Of the Wednesday’s tally, 12-thousand-743 cases are domestic infections, including eight-thousand-154 in the capital region, with the remaining 269 overseas transmissions.