As concern grows, China, South Korea report more virus cases

As concern grows, China, South Korea report more virus cases

SeattlePI.com

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — China and South Korea on Tuesday reported more cases of a new viral illness that has been concentrated in North Asia but is causing global worry as clusters grow in the Middle East and Europe.

China reported 508 new cases and another 71 deaths, 68 of them in the central city of Wuhan, where the epidemic was first detected in December. The updates bring mainland China's totals to 77,658 cases and 2,663 deaths.

South Korea now has the second-most cases in the world with 977 and has had a near 15-fold increase in reported infections in a week, as health workers continue to find batches in the southeastern city of Daegu and nearby areas, where panic has brought towns to an eerie standstill.

Of the 144 new cases reported by South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most came from Daegu and the surrounding areas of North Gyeongsang province.

The country also reported its 10th fatality from COVID-19, the name of the disease caused by the virus, including a man who had links to a hospital in Cheongdo, where a slew of infections has been reported among patients at a mental ward.

Korean Air, the country's biggest airline, said one of its cabin crew members tested positive for the virus, but it didn't immediately disclose details about the flights or routes the employee worked.

The government has vowed to full mobilized public health tools to contain the outbreak to the region surrounding Daegu, but says it isn’t considering restricting travel. All Daegu citizens exhibiting cold-like symptoms, estimating around 30,000 people, will be tested for the virus. The country is also restricting exports to deal with nationwide shortages in masks.

Health authorities expected by Wednesday to finish testing some 1,300 members of the Daegu...

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