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HEALTH-VIRUS-SKOREA
South Korea reports lowest new virus infections in days
SEOUL, March 8, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Hundreds of churches across South Korea
closed their doors Sunday and held online services as the country reported
its lowest number of new coronavirus cases in more than a week.
South Korea — which has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases
outside China with 7,313 — added 272 new cases Sunday, far below daily
increases of around 500 recently.
Two more people died, bringing the death toll to 50, according to the
Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Despite the smaller rise in COVID-19 cases, we are not at a point where
we can say the situation has improved,” said health minister Park Neung-hoo.
“Small cluster infections can emerge at any time in closed spaces like
group facilities or religious events,” KCDC director Jung Eun-kyeong told
reporters.
Yoido Full Gospel Church — the largest Protestant Church in South Korea
with around 560,000 registered members — was among hundreds of churches that
held online services on Sunday.
“Although it is the rule to come to church for service, this is an
emergency situation,” said elder Kim Doo-hyung.
“Even though they are attending the service from home, we have asked
members to dress and worship in the same manner as they would at Church,” Kim
told AFP.
Most of the country’s infections are linked to the Shincheonji Church of
Jesus, a religious sect often condemned as a cult.
One of its members attended at least four services before being diagnosed.
Scores of events — from K-pop concerts to sports matches — have been
cancelled or postponed over the contagion, with school and kindergarten
breaks extended by three weeks nationwide.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1544 hrs