The nation's daily COVID-19 cases remained in the 80-thousand range for a second day amid a new wave of infections.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Friday that 85-thousand-320 cases were compiled throughout the previous day, including 439 cases from abroad, bringing the total caseload to about 19 million-620-thousand.

The daily tally stayed below 90-thousand for a second day after surpassing 100-thousand on Wednesday for the first time in three months. The figure increased one-point-two times from a week ago and two-point-two times from two weeks ago, with the on-week doubling getting slower.

The imported cases per day remained high at 439, the second largest since the outbreak of the virus.

The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients also rose by 38 from a day ago to 234, the largest in about two months.

Thirty-five more people died of the virus, raising the death toll to 24-thousand-992, while the fatality rate remains at zero-point-13 percent. The number of new deaths marks the largest since May 28.