S. Korea struggles to prevent further mass infection of new coronavirus

All News 14:14 February 25, 2020

SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday reported a cluster of new coronavirus infections at a single clinic in the southeastern city of Chilgok that could mark the latest case of mass infection in the country.

The 21 additional cases came from the facility, located some 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, which houses people with disabilities.

The mass infections came one day after a 46-year-old patient at the facility was diagnosed with the infection of COVID-19.

There were a total of 69 patients and staff workers at the Chilgok facility, according to health authorities.

All 69 have been tested for the novel virus, and those diagnosed with the disease will soon be admitted to nearby hospitals.

The remaining 47 who have tested negative will still be quarantined at the facility, they said.

The photo taken Feb. 25, 2020, shows a facility for people with disabilities in Chilgok, located some 280 kilometers southeast of Seoul, where 22 people out of 69 patients and medical staff have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus in the latest case of mass infection in South Korea. (Yonhap)

South Korea has so far reported 893 confirmed cases after reporting its first one on Jan. 20. Nine people have died as of Tuesday due to medical complications caused by the novel coronavirus.

The country reported its first cluster of infections at a church in Daegu, just south of Chilgok.

As of late Monday, some 450 confirmed cases had been linked to the church, located some 300 kilometers south of Seoul.

The country has identified at least three other cases of mass infection.

Over 110 people, including nine medical workers, have been diagnosed with COVID-19 at a hospital in Cheongdo, located just south of Daegu in North Gyeongsang Province, while some 30 people from a Catholic church in the province have also been infected with the disease following their trips to Israel between Feb. 8-16.

Where and when the Catholic pilgrims were infected is still not clear.

So far, 731 confirmed cases have been reported in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, accounting for more than 81 percent of the total, according to health authorities.

Partly to prevent additional cluster infections, the government has raised its alert level to the highest, while it is also advising people to avoid crowds whenever possible.

In addition, the health ministry on Tuesday said it will test all patients at closed wards in some 420 mental hospitals throughout the nation.