Daily COVID-19 cases dropped by some 120-thousand to the 200-thousands, falling to that range for the first time in ten days.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Monday that 209-thousand-169 infections were reported throughout the previous day, including 38 cases from overseas. The total caseload came to nine-million-582-thousand-815.

The daily figure dropped by over 125-thousand from a day ago and about 100-thousand from a week ago. The figure declined for the fourth consecutive day after hitting a record high of 621-thousand-281 on Thursday.

The government earlier expected the omicron wave to pass its peak during the period of March 12 to 22 and begin to subside after March 23.
 
Despite the drop in infections, the number of critical cases and deaths remains at high levels.

The number of patients in critical care jumped by 97 to one-thousand-130. The figure has remained above one-thousand for two straight weeks.

The occupancy rate of ICU beds for critically ill patients nationwide stands at 69 percent as of 12 a.m. Monday.

Sunday saw 329 deaths from the virus, up two from the previous day to mark the second largest daily figure. The death toll rose to 12-thousand-757, with the fatality rate standing at zero-point-13 percent.

The number of home-treatment patients fell below two million.