South Korea reported over 20-thousand COVID-19 cases on Monday as daily infections decline slightly from a week earlier for the fourth consecutive day.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Monday that 23-thousand-91 new cases were compiled the previous day, including 61 imported from overseas, bringing the total caseload to nearly 26 million-582-thousand.

The daily tally halved from the previous day with fewer tests administered on Sunday.

It is also fewer than last Monday's by 660, extending the on-week decrease to the fourth straight day, but is still some 44-hundred up compared to two weeks earlier.

Health authorities predict an upward trend in new cases will likely persist for the time being while daily numbers can fluctuate. 

The number of critically ill hospitalized patients rose by 14 from a day ago to 465, hitting the highest level in two months since 494 on September 21. 

The daily death tally dropped by six to 35, raising the cumulative toll to 30-thousand-66. The fatality rate stands at zero-point-11 percent.