The occupancy rate of ICU beds for critically ill COVID-19 patients continues to remain high as the number of serious cases climbed over one-thousand.

According to the health ministry, 79-point-one percent of critical care beds were taken nationwide as of 5 p.m. Saturday, slightly down from 81 percent the previous day.

The percentage in the capital area is higher, at 85-point-nine, up from 87-point-seven the previous day. Only 118 ICU beds remain empty in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, and 279 nationwide.

The government sees occupancy of over 75 percent as a red flag.

The number of critically ill patients hit a new high of one-thousand-25 on Sunday.

Authorities are saying that if the virus situation worsens, the number of serious patients may rise up to 19-hundred this month.