Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Tuesday that South Korea is at a critical juncture this week in its bid to preclude a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections.

"A sense of crisis is heightening, with coronavirus cases spreading rapidly especially in the greater Seoul area," he said during a daily interagency meeting on the coronavirus response.

This week will be a "grave watershed" to determine whether the country enters the path of a fourth wave of large-scale outbreaks or it moves a step closer toward the recovery of daily life, he stressed.

On Tuesday, local health authorities reported 478 additional confirmed cases, including 147 in the capital, 107 in Gyeonggi Province and 27 in Incheon.

The prime minister voiced concern about new infections attributable to a delay in coronavirus testing even among those with relevant symptoms.

"The government has enough coronavirus testing capability," he said, asking those with suspected symptoms to immediately visit testing facilities.

He warned against a state of relaxed alertness, citing the country's experience in its antivirus fight over the past year.

"A crisis always came when we let our guard down," he added. (Yonhap)