South Korea Starts Virus Checks On 200,000-plus Sect Members
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published February 26, 2020 | 11:30 PM
Seoul, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Feb, 2020 ) :More than 200,000 members of a religious sect were being checked for coronavirus symptoms by South Korean authorities Wednesday, as US commanders reported the first case among American forces in the country.
Most of South Korea's novel coronavirus are linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, an entity often accused of being a cult.
After days of mounting public anger, the secretive Shincheonji group handed over a list of 212,000 members, the government said.
Local authorities across the country -- which has more coronavirus cases than anywhere else outside China -- will check if they have symptoms of fever or respiratory disease and put them in quarantine at home if so, said vice health minister Kim Gang-lip.
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.
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 and the epicentre of the outbreak -- before being diagnosed.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 284 new infections Wednesday -- its largest daily increase to date -- taking the overall national tally to 1,261, with the death toll rising to 12.
The vast majority -- more than 80 percent -- of Wednesday's new infections were in Daegu and the neighbouring province of North Gyeongsang, which between them account for the bulk of the national total.
An American soldier stationed at Camp Carroll 30 kilometres (19 miles) north of Daegu tested positive for the virus, commanders said, the first infection among the 28,500 troops Washington stations in the South to defend it against the nuclear-armed North.
The 23-year-old serviceman had been put in self-quarantine at his home, US Forces Korea said, adding it was conducting "contact tracing" to determine whether other soldiers had been exposed.
The streets of Daegu -- population of 2.5 million -- 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 extra caution, advising citizens to stay home if they have a fever or respiratory symptoms.
But they say they are not considering putting the city in lockdown the way China did for Wuhan, where the virus first emerged.
Scores of events have been cancelled or postponed as the outbreak has spread in the world's 12th-largest economy, from K-pop concerts to the start of the K-league football season and the World Team Table Tennis championships, while museums and other public venues have closed.
In Daegu, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun told a meeting the government would "mobilise all resources and means" to try to control the outbreak.
South Korea 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.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
15 hours ago -
Kite Flying: From cultural festival to deadly sport
15 hours ago -
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
3 days ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
5 days ago -
Intellectuals, writers accolades Naseer Mirza on his literary contribution
5 days ago -
Bahawalpur Adabi Sangat hosts memorable mushaira
5 days ago
-
Cattle farming vital to alleviate poverty in rural areas
5 days ago -
Pakistan: A land of tourism, archeological wonders
6 days ago -
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
8 days ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
12 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
12 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
12 days ago