The recent rise in new COVID-19 infections has eased.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters said Monday that the daily average tally last week came to 49-thousand-18, down two-point-seven percent from over 50-thousand the previous week and marking the first drop in seven weeks.

However, the daily average in critically ill patients rose by 35 to 220, while fatalities also climbed by 38 to 136 last week. 

In a Monday briefing, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said the increase in infections has slowed after a six-week rise through the first week of August.

The agency said that though the situation may change, at least through last week, the spread of the outbreak appears to have stopped, and attributed the trend to the public's voluntary mask wearing.

It added that for the next few years, COVID-19 will experience surges once or twice a year, similar to the seasonal flu.

The agency also expressed plans to prepare for a downgrade in the infectious disease level of COVID-19 from the current Class Two to the lowest Class Four.