For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the daily coronavirus caseload in South Korea has topped 7,000, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Wednesday.

He announced the grim milestone during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, raising concerns about public safety.

"In the wake of the fierce spread of the virus, the medical system is being rapidly exhausted," Kim warned.

He said the government plans to strengthen the at-home treatment system to support the surge in non-severe COVID-19 patients by expanding administrative support staff as well as the number of designated medical institutions that can give hospital-level care.

By early next year, oral coronavirus treatments and supplementary medical services are also expected to be available for high-risk patients undergoing COVID recovery at home.

Kim added that measures will be drawn up to alleviate the burden faced by households with at-home patients, including reducing the joint isolation period and providing financial support.