The surge of omicron infections in South Korea will likely peak at 270-thousand daily infections in mid-March.

Shim Eun-ha of the National Institute for Mathematical Sciences gave her projections in an interview with CBS Radio on Thursday, based on an infection trend analysis of the omicron variant in other countries.

Shim, a professor at Soongsil University specializing in mathematical biology, said it took three weeks until the omicron variant became the dominant strain in the U.S. and another three weeks to reach its apex.

If the pattern repeats itself, she said the omicron spread will peak in mid-March in South Korea as it took seven weeks for the variant to become dominant in the country.

South Korea was able to forestall the dominance of the strain due largely to the public's compliance with antiviral measures. This delay will cause South Korea to see the spike peak at a later date than in other countries.

Shim also voiced concerns that now is not the time to ease social distancing rules, warning that the nation faces its most critical juncture since the onset of the pandemic.