South Korean Gov't Fears Community Transmission Of Coronavirus Via Night Clubs - Reports

Authorities in South Korea are worried that recent successes in slowing the spread of the coronavirus infection can be undermined by sporadic clusters that continue to emerge in night clubs and other entertainment facilities, the country's media reported on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2020) Authorities in South Korea are worried that recent successes in slowing the spread of the coronavirus infection can be undermined by sporadic clusters that continue to emerge in night clubs and other entertainment facilities, the country's media reported on Thursday.

According to the Yonhap news agency, the majority of 12 cases reported by South Korean health authorities on Thursday were of local transmission, and the spike of 32 cases the day before reeled from the continuous emergence of hotbeds in popular nightlife areas, such as Itaewon in the capital of Seoul.

"The Itaewon outbreak has not led to massive virus spread, but related infections have been reported consistently. That's why health authorities cannot loosen their guard against community spread," Yoon Tae-ho, a senior health official, said at a briefing, as quoted by Yonhap.

The number of cases linked to the Itaewon cluster has reached 206 as of noon (03:00 GMT), with 10 new patients registered over the last 24 hours, as health authorities continue to detect secondary and tertiary transmissions linked to Itaewon, according to the report.

In Incheon, a city west of Seoul, the local government reportedly ordered some 2,400 karaoke facilities to halt operations for two weeks in a bid to curb the community transmission.

As of Thursday, the South Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 11,122 cumulative cases, including 264 fatalities and 10,135 recoveries, which make 91 percent of all cases.