The country's risk level of COVID-19 has been evaluated as "very high" for the fourth consecutive week.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters on Monday gave its assessment for the third week of December, indicating "very high" also for the capital area and non-capital regions.  

It marks the fifth straight week of the highest level assessment for Seoul and surrounding areas. It is the second week for the non-capital region after the risk level was raised from "medium" last week.

The headquarters said medical capacity continues to exceed its limit in the capital area, while other regions are approaching the limit. 

ICU bed occupancy rate rose from 85-point-nine percent to 86-point-five in the wider metro area in the third week of December. The rate went up from 68-point-five to 72-point-six in the rest of the country.

Patient numbers in proportion to medical capacity have shot up from 127 to 142 percent in the capital area in the third week. 

The booster shot campaign, meanwhile, is gaining traction. Among those 60 and older, 54-point-eight percent have received their third vaccine shots, sharply up from 31-point-four percent the week before, which officials say is very encouraging.