Seoul
South
Korea confirmed 594 more coronavirus cases on Saturday, the biggest
increase to date for the country and taking the national total to 2,931
infections with three additional deaths.
More
than 90 percent of the new cases were in Daegu, the centre of the
country's outbreak, and its neighbouring 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 aged 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
neighbouring 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 as the
outbreak has hit the world's 12th-largest economy, including concerts by
K-pop superstars BTS and the World Team Table Tennis Championships.
The
new school term has been delayed by one week, and the US and South
Korean militaries 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.
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