South Korea reports daily record of COVID-19 deaths amid omicron surge

South Korea recorded its highest all-time count of COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday.

The country reported 293 deaths reported in the last 24 hours as it deals with a surge in infections fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant, according to The Associated Press.

In addition to the record-setting deaths, South Korea also hit a new high for serious or critical cases including 1,196 virus patients.

"We anticipate the number of (serious or critical cases) to grow to around 2,000. We are preparing our medical response for that," senior Health Ministry official Park Hyang said, the AP reported.

The country's hospital system is expected to be strained with the rise in case numbers. But health officials said the country's medical response was stable after South Korea pushed to expand resources and has more than 30 percent of ICU units for COVID-19 patients still available, the wire service added.

More than 62 percent of the population in South Korea has received a booster shot, a figure that Park says has helped the country deal with the omicron variant, the AP noted.

With 17.6 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people, South Korea's fatalities have been far lower than figures seen in the U.S. or in Europe, which have seen 285.5 deaths in the U.S. and 237.5 in Britain respectively, the AP added, citing data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

However, the country's recent uptick in infections will present challenges for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, who has promised to loosen pandemic-related policies and has criticized current President Moon Jae-in's COVID-19 response, the wire service said.

The country has already eased quarantine restrictions and stopped requiring proof of vaccination for certain spaces, like restaurants, that are likely to attract crowds.