Daily COVID-19 cases climbed to over 27-thousand to hit a new high amid the rapid spread of the omicron variant.  

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency(KDCA) said Friday that 27-thousand-443 infections were reported throughout the previous day, including 160 cases from overseas. The total caseload came to 934-thousand-656. 

The daily tally surpassed ten-thousand for the first time on January 26 and doubled in just a week. It is now approaching 30-thousand just three days after surpassing 20-thousand. 

The spike prompted the government to extend current social distancing rules for two more weeks. 

Despite the soaring cases, the number of critically ill patients is down by 17 to 257, remaining in the 200s for about a week.  

Twenty-four people died of the virus in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to six-thousand-836. The fatality rate fell to zero-point-73 percent.

The ICU occupancy rate was around 15 percent nationwide as of 5 p.m. Thursday. However, the number of patients under treatment at home climbed to nearly 105-thousand.