Health authorities reported more than 240-thousand new COVID-19 cases amid the rapid spread of the omicron variant.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Sunday that 243-thousand-628 cases were compiled throughout the previous day, including 88 cases from overseas. The total caseload came to four million-456-thousand-264.

The daily figure fell by about ten-thousand from a day ago, but increased one-point-five times from a week ago and two-point-three times from two weeks ago.

Health authorities expect the figure to reach 350-thousand by mid-March.

The number of patients in critical care dropped by eleven from a day ago to 885, but stayed above 800 for the second consecutive day.

The occupancy rate of ICU beds for critical COVID-19 patients nationwide stood at 56-point-four percent as of 12 a.m. Sunday, up two-point-nine percentage points from a day ago.

The nation added 161 deaths from the virus, raising the death toll to eight-thousand-957. The fatality rate stands at zero-point-two percent.

The number of home-treatment patients rose by some 94-thousand to over one million-120-thousand, surpassing the one million mark for the first time.