SEOUL, Feb 24 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korea raised its four-tier virus alert to the highest “red” level on Sunday, as the number of COVID-19 infection cases soared to 602 in recent days, with the death toll rising to five.
South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, chaired an emergency meeting, to tackle the virus spread, saying, the infectious disease alert would be lifted to the highest level, in order to strengthen the overall response system.
It marked the first time since the outbreak of the Influenza A (H1N1) in 2009, that the government issued the highest alert.
Under the red alert, the government is allowed to take tighter quarantine measures, such as, a ban on group activities and an order to temporarily close schools.
The education ministry ordered all preschools, primary and secondary schools nationwide, to delay the opening day of the first semester by one week, to Mar 9. It would consider further measures according to future situations.
President Moon said, “A few days from now would be a moment of great significance to combat the virus,” ordering all government officials to take “unprecedented powerful” measures, regardless of existing regulations.
As of 4:00 p.m. local time (yesterday), the number of infected patients totalled 602, up 169 from the previous day. Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) updated the data twice a day.
Of the total, 494 were residents in Daegu, about 300 km southeast of the capital Seoul, and its surrounding North Gyeongsang province.
A total of 329 cases were linked to the church services of a minor religious group, called Sincheonji, in Daegu.
Among the 9,336 Sincheonji followers attending church services, 1,276 showed symptoms of the virus infection. The other 670 followers were not reached for contact.
President Moon stressed that, it was unavoidable for local governments to temporarily close Sincheonji facilities, for the sake of public health and safety, asking the religious sect and its followers for cooperation.
He also asked other religious and general groups to refrain from crowded events, both indoors and outdoors, saying, trust and cooperation are the way to win the fight.
Meanwhile, 111 cases were traced to Daenam Hospital, in Cheongdo county, just south of Daegu. Test for all of 652 patients and medical staff was completed, as almost all the patients at the hospital’s psychiatric ward tested positive for the virus.
At the hospital, the first and second deaths from the virus were reported on Wednesday and Friday. The third death posthumously tested positive on Saturday.
Two more deaths were confirmed earlier in the day, raising the death toll to five.
The government designated Deagu and Cheongdo as a “special care zone” Friday, while protest rallies were banned in downtown areas of Seoul.
Since Jan 3, the country tested more than 25,000 people, among whom 17,520 tested negative for the virus and 8,057 were being checked.– NNN-YONHAP
