President Yoon Suk-yeol instructed officials Tuesday to pay special attention to seriously ill COVID-19 patients amid a resurgence of the virus across the country.

More than 73,000 new cases were reported Tuesday as the highly contagious omicron subvariant BA.5 continues to spread, more than double the 26,299 reported a day earlier.

"COVID-19 is at a crossroads of a resurgence," Yoon said during a Cabinet meeting. "We must go all-out to take care of people's lives and health with priority on managing serious cases, while placing importance not on people's sacrifice and compulsion but on freedom and responsibility."

Yoon said his administration's basic philosophy has been to prevent and treat COVID-19 through science-based measures designed by experts.

The president appeared to be distancing himself from the blanket COVID-19 business restrictions imposed under the previous government.

"I ask related agencies to do their best to secure enough hospital beds and treatments," he said. "I also ask that they actively recommend vaccinations to increase their preventive effect and to work to lower the fatality rate." (Yonhap)