Daily COVID-19 cases surpassed 400-thousand for the first time to hit a record high with the number of critical cases also climbing to a new high.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Wednesday that 400-thousand-741 infections were reported throughout the previous day, including 117 cases from overseas. The total caseload came to seven-million-629-thousand-275.

The daily tally rose by some 38-thousand from a day ago and surpassed 400-thousand just a week after exceeding the 300-thousand mark.

Amid the soaring infections, the number of critically ill patients also rose by 48 to a new high of one-thousand-244. The figure remained above the one-thousand mark for the ninth consecutive day.

Tuesday saw 164 deaths from the virus, a sharp drop from 293 tallied a day ago. However, deaths are expected to increase as they tend to lag behind critical cases. The death toll came to eleven-thousand-52, with the fatality rate standing at zero-point-14 percent.