South Korea reported new COVID-19 cases in the 600s for a fifth straight day amid growing concerns about the highly transmissible delta variant.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Sunday that 614 new infections were registered throughout Saturday, raising the country's accumulated caseload to 155-thousand-71.

Of the new cases, 570 are local transmissions and 44 came from overseas.

Daily figures on weekends usually fall sharply from weekdays due to fewer tests, but the latest Sunday figure posted above 600 for the first time in six weeks.

By region, the greater metro area accounts for 76 percent of the new domestic cases, including 242 in Seoul and 171 in Gyeonggi Province.

One more death has been reported, bringing the death toll to two-thousand-13. The fatality rate stands at one-point-three percent.

The number of critically ill patients dropped by two from the previous day to 147.