Daily COVID-19 cases fell by more than 40-thousand to around 330-thousand with critical cases and deaths still remaining at high levels.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday that 334-thousand-708 infections were reported throughout the previous day, including 22 cases from overseas. The total caseload came to nine-million-373-thousand-646.

The daily tally dropped by some 46-thousand from a day ago and remained above 300-thousand for the second straight day.

The omicron wave appears to have begun subsiding after the infections peaked at 621-thousand-281 on Thursday, but it is still uncertain whether the wave has actually passed the peak.

The number of critical cases and deaths remains at high levels.

Saturday saw 327 deaths from the virus, up eight from the previous day to mark the second largest daily figure. The death toll rose to 12-thousand-428, with the fatality rate standing at zero-point-13 percent.

The number of patients in critical care marked one-thousand-33, down by 16. The fall is believed to be due to a recent increase in the number of deaths.

The number of home-treatment patients stands at over two-point-14 million as of 12 a.m. Sunday.

The occupancy rate of ICU beds for critically ill patients nationwide rose to 67-point-six percent.