People walk under cherry blossoms along the Yunjungno street in Seoul's Yeouido last Saturday, three days before the annual cherry blossom festival begins. The festival will resume after a yearslong halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Yonhap)

South Korea's new COVID-19 cases are on the rise as outdoor gatherings increased amid spring weather, data showed Tuesday.

The country reported 13,375 new COVID-19 infections, including 16 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 30,857,275, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.

The Tuesday tally was up from 4,349 the previous day and 12,124 a week ago.

The figure hit the highest Tuesday figure in seven weeks since Feb. 14.

The KDCA added eight more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 34,289.

The number of critically ill patients came to 132, down from the previous day's 136.

Health authorities are monitoring the spread of the virus as cherry blossom festivals and other mass outdoor leisure activities increased across the country.

South Korea eased most of its virus curbs from late March, including the mask mandate on public transportation.

Authorities are mulling the right time to treat COVID-19 as an endemic disease, the next step toward returning to pre-pandemic normalcy. (Yonhap)