Daily COVID-19 cases fell to the 130-thousands while critical cases and deaths are on the rise amid a new round of infections.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) said on Thursday that 137-thousand-241 infections were confirmed throughout the previous day, including 522 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to around 20 million-983-thousand.

The daily tally dropped by over 14-thousand from a day ago but increased one-point-27 times from a week ago and one-point-55 times from two weeks ago.

The number of imported cases dropped by 93 from a day ago, but remained well above 400 to continue the streak this month.

The number of critically ill patients rose by 16 from a day ago to 418, the largest in about three months since May 9.

Wednesday saw 59 deaths, the largest in 81 days since May 22. 
The death toll came to 25-thousand-441 with the fatality rate staying at zero-point-12 percent.

The occupancy rate of hospital beds for seriously ill COVID-19 patients nationwide rose to 38-point-eight percent, up one percentage point from a day earlier.