The number of deaths from the new coronavirus surpassed the 1,000 mark in South Korea, with the third wave of the pandemic having accelerated the growth of new fatalities in the past month.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said the country reported 28 additional deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total fatalities to 1,007.

Of the accumulated deaths, 295 were reported in Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul, followed by 204 in Seoul and 203 in the central city of Daejeon, the KDCA said.

The daily death toll has continued to show double-digit growth since Dec. 15, with a record high of 40 last Tuesday, the KDCA said.

The KDCA said most of the COVID-19 deaths were those aged over 70 and admitted to either senior care centers or hospitals.

The number of seriously or critically ill COVID-19 patients came to 386 on Tuesday, up 35 from the previous day, according to the KDCA.

Authorities said the country continues to witness an increase in COVID-19 patients in critical condition who require oxygen treatment, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), mainly due to an increase in elderly patients.

The average fatality rate for COVID-19 patients came to 1.55 percent, the KDCA said.

South Korea reported its first death from the coronavirus in February of last year.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun asked local governments and senior care facilities throughout the nation to strictly follow state mandated emergency medical response procedures in dealing with the virus.

He also stressed that central government health authorities constantly review the situation on the ground and actively provide support to establishments in need of help. (Yonhap)