A medical worker guides visitors at a COVID-19 testing station in a community health center in Seoul's northern district of Nowon, Nov. 21. Yonhap

Korea's new COVID-19 cases stood at around 72,000 on Tuesday, a similar level from a week earlier, amid concerns over the spread of a new virus wave in winter.

The country reported 72,873 new COVID-19 infections, including 81 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 26,654,729, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said.

Tuesday's count is almost identical to the 72,866 cases logged seven days ago. The daily infection numbers have stayed in the five digits since early September amid fears over a new virus wave hitting the country this winter, coupled with the spread of seasonal influenza.

Health authorities predict that the daily cases could surge to as many as 200,000 as early as December, calling on people to get booster shots, especially high-risk groups like the elderly and those with weak immune systems.

On Tuesday, the KDCA reported 45 deaths from COVID-19, raising the death toll to 30,111. The fatality rate stood at 0.11 percent.

The number of critically ill patients came to 461, down four from the previous day. (Yonhap)