South Korea looks to be in the early stages of a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to health officials, who are warning it could be larger than the third wave that began last November. 

Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol on Friday made the assessment, citing that the average number of daily cases over the past week stood at 555.

Referring to the start of the third wave, when new infections more than doubled each week, authorities warned a similar acceleration could happen again in the next couple weeks.

The latest trends show the plateau is currently more than three times longer than the early stages of the third wave, while the number of patients is four times or more greater.

While the government has extended current social distancing levels for additional three weeks until May 2, authorities are leaving room to raise the levels should there be signs of the epidemic progressing.