Daily COVID-19 cases stayed in the 300-thousand range for the second straight day.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Friday that 339-thousand-514 infections were reported throughout the previous day, including 29 cases from overseas. The total caseload came to eleven-million-162-thousand-232.

The daily tally decreased by about 67-thousand from a week ago.

The number of patients in critical care rose by four to one-thousand-85, remaining above one-thousand for the 18th consecutive day.

Thursday saw 393 deaths from the virus. The death toll rose to 14-thousand-294. The fatality rate stands at zero-point-13 percent.

The number of home-treatment patients stands at nearly one-point-89 million as of 12 a.m. Friday.

The occupancy rate of ICU beds for critically ill patients nationwide rose to 69-point-one percent.

Chairing a government meeting on the pandemic response on Friday, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said there are around 50-thousand fewer cases a day on average this week compared to the previous week. 

He said it is uncertain if the number of cases are definitely on the decline, but added that the government assesses that the country is turning a corner.