South Korea’s daily COVID-19 cases topped 40-thousand for the first time in over two months on Wednesday amid growing signs that another round of the pandemic may soon begin in the nation.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Wednesday that 40-thousand-266 cases were reported throughout the previous day, including 398 from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18 million-602-thousand-109.

It marks the first time in 63 days the daily tally exceeded 40-thousand since May 11 when 43-thousand-908 cases were added. Compared to a week ago, it is two-point-one times more and three-point-nine times higher than two weeks ago.

The number of imported cases grew by 138 from a day ago and marks the second highest since the nation reported its first COVID-19 cases in January of 2020. The highest figure, 406, was reported on January 14 in the early phase of the country's omicron wave.

Eased entry regulations as well as an increase in international flights were attributed to the increase.

With growing infections, the number of COVID-19 patients recovering at home also grew markedly and rose by 20-thousand-648 to 137-thousand-211. 

The number of critically or seriously ill patients receiving care at medical facilities, however, dropped by seven from a day ago to 67.

A total of one-thousand-466 hospital beds are set aside for COVID-19 patients across the nation and ten percent of ICU beds, up by zero-point-five percentage points from a day ago, are currently in use.

Twelve additional deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 24-thousand-680. The overall fatality rate remains at zero-point-13 percent.