South Korea reports 60 new coronavirus cases, total 893

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Seoul - For the previous three days, the health authority had reported triple-digit increases each morning.

By AFP

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Published: Tue 25 Feb 2020, 5:53 AM

Last updated: Tue 25 Feb 2020, 8:00 AM

South Korea reported 60 more novel coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the smallest increase for four days in the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's morning updates.
The country now has 893 cases, the KCDC said - the largest national total anywhere outside China - adding one more person had died, taking the toll to eight.
(Coronavirus: Everything you need to know about the Covid-19 Wuhan virus outbreak)
For the previous three days, KCDC had reported triple-digit increases each morning as the outbreak took hold in South Korea, the world's 12th-largest economy.
The country 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.
Of the latest cases, 49 are in the southern city of Daegu and the neighbouring North Gyeongsang province, KCDC said.
The streets of Daegu - the country's fourth-largest city, with a population of 2.5 million - have been largely deserted for days, apart from long queues at the few shops with masks for sale.
Face coverings have become standard wear throughout the country, and scores of events have been cancelled or postponed, from K-pop concerts to the start of the K-league football season.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised travellers to "avoid all nonessential travel" to South Korea.
Most of the country's infections are linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu, 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 before being diagnosed.
With public criticism growing, Shincheonji's founder Lee Man-hee said in a statement Tuesday that the group would provide the government a list of all its members to have them tested for the virus.
"It will be done under the premise that the government will protect the privacy of our members," he added.
The organisation has previously called its members the "biggest victims" of the coronavirus.
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. It is set to reopen Wednesday morning.
The leader of the main opposition United Future party Hwang Kyo-ahn had to be tested along with other senior party officials as they had come into contact with the patient, but all tested negative.
With the surge in infection numbers, the United States hinted at scaling back joint military exercises.
US and South Korea militaries were "looking at scaling back the command post training due to concerns about the coronavirus", US Defence Secretary Mark Esper told reporters in Washington.
His South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo added that 13 South Korean servicemen had been infected and all leave for the military cancelled to limit soldiers' movements.
 "The situation is quite serious," Jeong said.


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