South Korea reports 256 brand-new coronavirus cases, total 2,022: KCDC

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea reported 571 brand-new coronavirus cases on Friday, its biggest everyday boost in infections that takes its total to 2,337, the largest break out outside China where the epidemic started late last year.

The coronavirus crisis has actually startled South Korea’s financial markets, led Hyundai Motor (005380 KS) to shut down among its plants and prompted boy band BTS to cancel its April concert.

The outbreak, which has actually eliminated 16 individuals in South Korea given that its first patient was verified on Jan. 20, has actually also dented the appeal of President Moon Jae-in, a survey revealed.

Majority of South Korea’s cases are connected to a branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southeastern city of Daegu and a hospital in Cheongdo county.

A 61- year-old woman, called “Patient 31” attended spiritual services at the church before checking favorable on Feb. 18., according to the Korea Centers for Illness Control and Avoidance (KCDC).

The federal government circulated a list of about 310,000 Shincheonji members to city governments instructing that they all be looked for the virus, vice health minister Kim Gang-lip informed an instruction.

As of Thursday, health authorities had contacted 110,000 of them, 1,638 of whom have revealed signs and would be tested for the coronavirus, Kim stated.

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin said charges of criminal offense of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act would be brought against the church for refusing the release of a complete list of its members.

The church later rejected the accusation, saying it had provided complete info and advised an end to “slander and oppression” versus its followers.

” Please stop cursing and persecuting Shincheonji fans,” a spokesperson for the church, Simon Kim, said in a video published on the church’s website.

The church has faced criticism over a member who works as a public health authorities who continued to work even after authorities told him to get evaluated. He later ended up being contaminated with the infection.

STOCKS, RATING LOWER

South Korean stock slumped on Friday. The benchmark index KS11 has actually seen its worst week because 2011, tracking a plunge in U.S. stocks.

Foreign investors unloaded as much as 2.8 trillion won ($ 2.3 billion) worth of stocks on the primary board for the week, posting the most significant weekly foreign net outflow in nearly 9 years.

Hyundai Motor (005380 KS) suspended production at one its factories in the southeastern city of Ulsan after a worker tested positive for the virus.

Its shares dropped more than 5?ter the news, while the wider market was down 2.6%.

President Moon’s approval score have actually dropped to their least expensive because November, a survey showed on Friday, in the middle of growing criticism of his federal government’s handling of the break out.

Realmeter, which surveyed some 1,500 people on Tuesday and Wednesday, said Moon’s appeal fell to 44.7%, below about 50?fore the country verified its very first case of virus infection on Jan.20

South Korean boy band BTS canceled shows in Seoul set up for April in Seoul, said their label, Success Home Entertainment.

Korean Air Lines (003490 KS) stated it would determine temperatures of all guests for flights to the United States and turn away travelers whose temperature level goes beyond 37.5 Celsius (995 Fahrenheit).

A cabin team member tested positive for infection today.

South Korea’s next-door neighbors have actually tightened up entry constraints in reaction to the break out.

Vietnam suspended visa-free entry for South Korean, its embassy in Hanoi stated, and travelers from South Korea will need to quarantine themselves upon entry.

India briefly suspended visas on arrival for South Koreans and Japanese nationals on Wednesday, South Korea’s embassy in India stated.