First South Korea Virus Patient Dies As Number Of Infections Doubles

South Korea reported its first death Thursday from coronavirus as the number of infections nearly doubled to over 100, almost half of them from a cluster centred on a religious sect

Seoul, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2020 ) :South Korea reported its first death Thursday from coronavirus as the number of infections nearly doubled to over 100, almost half of them from a cluster centred on a religious sect.

The sharp rise came as the mayor of Daegu, South Korea's fourth biggest city, with a population of over 2.5 million -- advised residents to stay indoors, and commanders at a major US base in the area restricted access.

The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced a total of 51 new confirmed cases, taking the nationwide total to 104.

Of those, more than 40 were in a cluster in Daegu centred on the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, an entity often accused of being a cult.

A man in his 60s in neighbouring North Gyeongsang province -- who Yonhap news agency said had been hospitalised for more than 20 years, tested positive for the coronavirus after dying Wednesday following symptoms of pneumonia, authorities said.

The Daegu sect cluster began with a 61-year-old woman who first developed a fever on February 10 but attended at least four services before being diagnosed.

Local media said she had twice refused to be tested for the coronavirus on the grounds she had not recently travelled abroad.

So far at least 47 other members of the sect have been confirmed as infected, with more cases also believed to be linked to the woman.

Shincheonji claims its founder, Lee Man-hee, has donned the mantle of Jesus Christ and will take 144,000 people with him to heaven on the day of judgement.

Daegu's municipal government said 1,001 Shincheonji members believed to have attended services with the infected woman have been asked to self-quarantine.