South Korea has reported over 20-thousand new daily COVID-19 cases for the first time in 45 days.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said Saturday that 20-thousand-286 infections were reported throughout Friday, including 223 from overseas.

The last time the daily tally was above the 20-thousand mark was on May 25.

Compared to a week ago, the figure has risen by nine-thousand.

The government on Friday officially recognized that the virus was spreading again due to a number of factors including the omicron subvariant BA.5, waning immunity and an uptick in people's movement and the use of air-conditioning. 

The country's cumulative caseload stands at nearly 18-point-five million.

The number of critically ill hospitalized patients is down by one from the previous day at 61. Friday saw 19 deaths, raising the death toll to 24-thousand-624. The fatality rate remains at zero-point-13 percent.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who received his fourth vaccine shot on Friday, told reporters that an expanded vaccination plan will be announced soon and urged the public to get additional jabs.

He said the resurgence has come faster than expected and stressed the importance of observing basic hygiene rules and getting protected through timely vaccination.

At present, fourth shots are advised for seniors 60 and older, those with weak immune systems and nursing home residents. So far, 65 percent of the population have received a third dose and eight-point-eight percent a fourth shot.