Daily COVID-19 cases fell below 130-thousand, with the number of critical patients remaining below one-thousand for a second day.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Friday that 125-thousand-846 infections were reported throughout the previous day, including 14 cases from overseas. The total caseload came to 16-million-104-thousand-869.

The daily tally dropped by over 22-thousand from a day ago and nearly 80-thousand from a week ago. It marks the first time in seven weeks that Friday figures fell below 200-thousand.

Amid the steady drop in infections, the government on Friday decided to lift all social distancing restrictions from Monday, except mandatory mask-wearing.

The number of critical COVID-19 patients rose by 37 from a day ago to 999, but remained below one-thousand for the second straight day.

The occupancy rate of ICU beds for critically ill COVID-19 patients nationwide stood at 49-point-nine percent as of Friday, down two-point-two percentage points from a day ago.

Thursday saw 264 deaths from the virus, down 54 from a day ago. The death toll rose to 20-thousand-616 with the fatality rate standing at zero-point-13 percent.

About 907-thousand people are recovering from COVID-19 at home as of Friday.