New COVID-19 cases fell below the 40-thousands on Thursday but increased by more than ten-thousand from a week ago amid concerns of another wave in the winter.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said that 34-thousand-987 cases were newly compiled the previous day, including 55 overseas infections, bringing the total caseload to around 25-million-431-thousand.

The daily tally dropped by over five-thousand from a day ago to fall below 40-thousand, but rose by some 96-hundred from a week ago and about eight-thousand from two weeks ago. It was the largest in six weeks for Thursday tallies.

The number of seriously or critically ill patients remained unchanged at 242, remaining in the 200s for the fifth consecutive day.

Wednesday reported 26 deaths, raising the death toll to 29-thousand-69 with the fatality rate at zero-point-11 percent.