New COVID-19 cases have climbed to just above 40-thousand amid a continued downturn in infections.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Sunday that 40-thousand-64 infections were confirmed throughout the previous day including 16 from overseas. The country's accumulated caseload came to 17-million-544-thousand-398.

The daily figure rose by 464 from a day ago and about 23-hundred from a week ago. It marks the first time in 46 days that the tallies posted growth from a week ago.

The number of critically ill hospitalized patients rose by four from the previous day to 423, remaining in the 400 range for the ninth consecutive day.

Saturday saw 71 deaths, raising the death toll to 23-thousand-360. The fatality rate stands at zero-point-13 percent.

Just over 20 percent of ICU beds are occupied while more than 252-thousand people are recovering from COVID-19 at home nationwide, up about eight thousand from a day ago.