Coronavirus south korea sees its largest rise in coronavirus cases
South Korea has reported its largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases, with 246 new infections confirmed on Wednesday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
This brings the total number of cases in the country to 11,018, with 256 deaths reported.
The surge in cases is attributed to a cluster of infections linked to a church in the city of Daegu, which has become a hotspot for the virus. The church, known as the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, has been linked to over 1,000 cases, including many of the new infections reported on Wednesday.
The KCDC has reported that the majority of the new cases are linked to the church, with 143 of the 246 new cases reported on Wednesday being linked to the church.
The surge in cases has prompted the government to take measures to contain the spread of the virus, including:
- Implementing stricter social distancing measures, including limiting gatherings to 10 people or less
- Increasing testing and contact tracing efforts
- Providing additional medical resources to support the healthcare system
- Implementing travel restrictions to and from Daegu
The government has also announced plans to provide financial support to individuals and businesses affected by the outbreak, including a plan to provide 10 million won (approximately $8,500 USD) to each household affected by the outbreak.
The surge in cases has also led to concerns about the impact on the country's economy, with many businesses and industries affected by the outbreak. The government has announced plans to provide support to affected businesses, including a plan to provide 10 billion won (approximately $8.5 million USD) in emergency funding to support small and medium-sized enterprises.
Overall, the surge in cases in South Korea is a concern, but the government's swift response and measures to contain the spread of the virus are expected to help mitigate the impact of the outbreak.