South Korea reports surge in number of virus cases

Reuters

South Korea reported its biggest surge in new coronavirus cases on Saturday as concerns grew of a possible epidemic in the United States.

The virus has rapidly spread across the world in the past week. More than 2,900 people have died and over 85,000 have been infected worldwide since it was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei Province late last year.

The ratio of the cumulative number of cured COVID-19 patients to the total mortality across China expanded to 13.8:1, showing a continuous rise in recovery rate, according to the National Health Commission.

The Chinese mainland reported four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday outside Hubei Province, with one in each of four provinces, Mi Feng, a spokesperson for the NHC, said at a press conference on Saturday.

Hubei Province reported three new confirmed cases outside Wuhan, the hardest-hit city in the outbreak of novel coronavirus and capital of Hubei.

“Next, efforts will be continuously concentrated on prevention and control work in urban and rural communities and patient treatment,” Mi said, adding that measures for early detection, early reporting, early isolation and early treatment will be further implemented.

Hubei Province on Saturday issued a risk assessment report on the coronavirus outbreak, rating a total of 103 counties, cities and districts in the province according to the three levels of low risk, medium risk and high risk.

As of Friday, the province had 11 low-risk areas, 34 medium-risk areas and 58 high-risk areas.

The vast majority of infections have been in China. But more daily cases are now logged outside the country.

South Korea, Italy and Iran have now emerged as major hot spots.

South Korea has the most cases outside China, with 3,150 infections as 813 more patients were reported on Saturday.

That is the country’s biggest increase to date.

South Korea’s epidemic is centered in its fourth-largest city, Daegu. The city’s streets have been largely deserted for days, apart from long queues at the few shops with masks for sale.

Three women in the Daegu area died of the illness, taking the national toll to 17, authorities said on Saturday. South Korea’s total is expected to rise further with screening of more than 210,000 members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus.

In the US, health officials reported three more cases of the new coronavirus transmitted to people who did not travel overseas or come in contact with anyone known to be ill, indicating the disease was spreading in the country.

There are now four such cases in the United States, all on the Pacific seaboard, in addition to some 60 other infections in the country.

“The virus is here, present at some level, but we still don’t know to what degree,” said Sara Cody, director of public health for California’s Santa Clara County, the heart of Silicon Valley.

The virus has also spread to new zones in recent days — reaching nine new countries including Azerbaijan, Mexico and New Zealand.

Italy has been struggling to contain the rapidly spreading virus with 888 cases recorded in the latest tally, making it the hardest hit country outside Asia.

Deaths in Iran from coronavirus have hit 43. That is the highest number outside China, and the total number of infected people has risen to 593, an Iranian health official said on Saturday.

The country is at the epicenter of the outbreak in the region. Several countries in the Middle East have reported cases of the coronavirus stemming from Iran. Saudi Arabia is now the only Gulf Arab state not to have reported any cases.

Several high-ranking officials, including a vice minister, the deputy health minister and five lawmakers, have tested positive for the virus as the outbreak forced Iran to close the parliament and impose internal travel bans.