ZCZC
BFF-02
HEALTH-VIRUS-SKOREA
South Korea sees more virus patients released than new infections
SEOUL, March 13, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – South Korea — once the largest
coronavirus outbreak outside China — saw its newly recovered patients exceed
fresh infections for the first time on Friday, as it reported its lowest
number of new cases for three weeks.
The South confirmed 110 new cases on Thursday, the Korea Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said, taking the total to 7,979.
But 177 fully recovered patients were released the same day, it added.
South Korea has an advanced medical system widely available to all, and has
embarked on a huge coronavirus testing drive.
But its stock market was caught up in the global economic concerns over the
pandemic, with trading briefly halted on the Korea stock exchange six minutes
after the opening when the benchmark KOSPI index fell to 1707.90, down 6.8
percent or 126.43 points.
It was the second consecutive day trading had been halted on the main
bourse, the first time that had happened since the US credit rating was
downgraded in 2011.
The number of new cases in Daegu, the southern city at the centre of the
outbreak, and the neighbouring province of North Gyeongsang had declined
“dramatically”, officials said.
So far, nearly 90 percent of South Korea’s cases have been in the two
regions.
But Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, who is leading the response in Daegu,
warned the government “should not be complacent even a bit”.
“The battle against the coronavirus has now become a global fight going far
beyond Daegu,” he said.
Each morning the government announces how many cases were diagnosed the
previous day, and recent figures have been well below the 500-600 increases
the country was confirming in early March, raising hopes the outbreak is
being brought under control.
The 110 new cases announced by the KCDC was the lowest such figure since
February 21. One more person had died, it said, with the toll rising to 67.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0842 hrs