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  World   Asia  16 Aug 2020  South Korea reports largest jump in new coronavirus cases since March

South Korea reports largest jump in new coronavirus cases since March

AP
Published : Aug 16, 2020, 10:20 am IST
Updated : Aug 16, 2020, 10:20 am IST

Authorities have been struggling to stem transmissions linked to churches, nursery homes, schools, restaurants and door-to-door salespeople

 People wearing face masks hold umbrellas in the rain in Seoul, South Korea. (AP)
  People wearing face masks hold umbrellas in the rain in Seoul, South Korea. (AP)

Seoul: South Korea has reported 279 newly confirmed cases of the coronavirus, it’s highest daily jump since early March, as fears grow about a massive outbreak in the greater capital region.

The figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sunday brought the national caseload to 15,318, including 305 deaths.

The number of new cases was the highest since 367 were reported on March 8, when the country was concentrating public health tools and personnel from nationwide to combat an outbreak in the less populated southern region.

The KCDC said 253 of the new cases came from the Seoul metropolitan area, home to 26 million people, where health authorities have been struggling to stem transmissions linked to various places and groups, including churches, nursery homes, schools, restaurants and door-to-door salespeople.

Infections were also reported in other major cities, such as Busan and Daegu, a southeastern city that was the epicenter of the country’s previous virus crisis in late February and March, when hundreds of new cases were reported each day.

Tags: south korea coronavirus, second wave, tokyo coronavirus, covid-19 resurgence