South Korea has had its deadliest day yet of the pandemic, with 293 deaths reported in the latest 24 hours, as the country grapples with a record surge in coronavirus infections driven by the fast-moving Omicron variant.

The 1,196 virus patients in serious or critical conditions were also a new high. Health officials said the country’s medical response remains stable following efforts to expand resources, with more than 30 per cent of intensive care units designated for Covid-19 treatment still available.

But the strain on the hospital system is expected to increase in coming weeks, considering the time lags between infections, hospitalisations and deaths, AP reported.

“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 during a briefing.