South Korea's daily COVID-19 cases surpassed 800 for the first time in about 170 days on Friday.

Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol said on Friday during a government meeting before the daily tally was released that it was likely to top 800 for the first time since January 7.

The average number of daily cases for the last week was tallied at 653, up 34 percent from a week earlier, and the greater metro area has accounted for over 80 percent of the local cases for three straight days. 

Minister Jeon said that virus risks remain very high with a sharp increase in outdoor activities and a growing number of cases involving the highly transmissible Delta variant.

The minister asked local governments in the capital region to conduct special inspections on virus-prone facilities and to set up additional test sites. 

The government plans to carry out special inspections on virus-prone facilities including cram schools, as well as tighten monitoring in high-risk cities and counties until the virus situation is stabilized.