SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea confirmed 594 more coronavirus cases on Saturday, the biggest increase to date for the country, bringing the national total to 2,931 infections with three additional deaths.
More than 90 percent of the new cases were in Daegu, the center of the country's outbreak, and its neighboring North Gyeongsang province, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a statement.
Three women in the Daegu area died of the illness, taking the national toll to 16, the statement added. One of the victims was in her 90s.
The other two tested positive for the coronavirus posthumously, the Yonhap news agency reported.
The national total is expected to rise further with screening of more than 260,000 people associated with the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive entity often accused of being a cult that is linked to around half of the country's cases.
A 61-year-old female member developed a fever on February 10 but attended at least four church services in Daegu -- the country's fourth-largest city with a population of 2.5 million -- before being diagnosed.
Facing public criticism, a Shincheonji spokesman said the church members were "victims" of the outbreak, calling the backlash a "witch hunt."
"I ask you to discard hatred and criticism against our members," said the spokesman in a video posted on the Shincheonji website.
More than 86 percent of South Korea's coronavirus cases are in Daegu and the neighboring province of North Gyeongsang, according to the KCDC.
Of those who test positive for the virus, 80 percent can be treated with medication because they have "light symptoms," said vice health minister Kim Gang-lip, adding that the rest would need more advanced treatment in hospitals.
The streets of Daegu have been largely deserted for days, apart from long queues at the few shops with masks for sale.
Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution and anyone with a fever or respiratory symptoms to stay home.
But officials say they are not considering a citywide quarantine similar to the lockdown imposed on the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged.
A surge in confirmed cases has led many events to be cancelled or postponed, including concerts by K-pop superstars BTS and the World Team Table Tennis Championships, as the outbreak has hit the world's 12th largest economy.
The new school term has been delayed by one week, and the US and South Korean military have postponed forthcoming joint exercises.
Auto giant Hyundai Motor also suspended operations at one of its Ulsan plants after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
SEOUL, South Korea – The novel coronavirus outbreak in South Korea is "very grave," President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday as he visited its epicenter while the country's total number of cases approached 1,000.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) confirmed 144 new infections, taking the tally to 977, the largest national total anywhere outside China, where the virus first emerged.
Scores of events have been cancelled or postponed as the outbreak has spread in the world's 12th largest economy, from K-pop concerts to the start of the K-league football season, with casualties on Tuesday including parliamentary sessions and the World Team Table Tennis championships.
More than 80 percent of the infections have been in South Korea's fourth-largest city Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang province.
"The situation is very grave," President Moon Jae-in said on a visit to Daegu, wearing the uniform of a government emergency official and vowing full government support.
"We will achieve a victory in the fight against this virus," he added.
The streets of Daegu -- which has a population of 2.5 million -- have been largely deserted for days, apart from long queues at the few shops with masks for sale.
Authorities urged the public to exercise extra caution, advising citizens to stay home if they have a fever or respiratory symptoms.
South Korea's parliament cancelled sessions Tuesday as it closed for cleaning after confirmation a person with the coronavirus had attended a meeting last week.
The country's flag carrier Korean Air also reported a cabin crew member had tested positive, without giving details.
And, the US hinted at scaling back joint military exercises, with Defense Secretary Mark Esper telling reporters in Washington the two allies' militaries were "looking at scaling back the command post training due to concerns about the coronavirus."
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised travelers to "avoid all nonessential travel" to South Korea.
Hong Kong has said it would not allow arrivals from South Korea other than returning residents, while a Mongolian ban on flights to and from the South came into force Tuesday.
Organizers of the World Team Table Tennis championship, due to be held in Busan in March, said new dates in June had been "provisionally reserved."
The Korean Basketball League said it would hold matches behind closed doors "until the situation improves."
GOVERNMENT LIST
Three more people had died, the KCDC said, taking the toll to 10. But the case numbers it announced represented the smallest daily increase for four days.
South Korea has an advanced medical system, a free press and a strong culture of public accountability, and observers say that its health statistics can be treated with confidence.
Most of the country's infections are linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, an entity often accused of being a cult.
A 61-year-old female member developed a fever on February 10, but attended at least four church services in Daegu before being diagnosed.
KCDC director Jung Eun-kyeong advised Shincheonji followers to refrain from going outside "as much as possible."
With public criticism growing, Shincheonji's founder Lee Man-hee said the group would provide the government a list of all its members to have them tested for the virus.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
