SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea on Saturday reported 18 fresh cases of the new coronavirus, including 12 in Seoul, as health workers scrambled to trace contacts following a slew of transmissions linked to clubgoers.
The latest infections brought national totals to 10,840 cases and 256 deaths.
Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip told a virus briefing that officials are mapping out plans to share hospital capacities between the capital and nearby towns to ensure swift transport of patients so that a spike of infections in one area doesn’t overwhelm the health care system. He said the plans will go into effect if the daily jump in infections exceeds 100, which hasn’t happened since April 1.
Of the 18 new cases, 17 were linked to a 29-year-old man who visited three clubs in Seoul’s Itaewon leisure district last Saturday and later tested positive for the virus, Kim said. Nightclubs nationwide were advised to close for a month or otherwise must enforce anti-virus measures, including distancing, temperature checks, keeping customer lists and requiring employees to wear masks.
One additional case was detected during airport screenings of arriving passengers.
Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said the government will employ “all available resources” to find and isolate carriers.
Fewer cases in previous weeks had allowed for social distancing guidelines to be relaxed and a phased reopening of schools, starting with high school seniors returning next Wednesday.
In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region:
— KIM WRITES PUTIN: North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin to congratulate him on the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II and wishing Russia success in fighting its coronavirus outbreak. Kim earlier sent a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping praising what he described as China’s success in getting its COVID-19 epidemic under control. Some experts say the North could intensify its diplomatic outreach to neighbors, particularly China, as it seeks economic help after closing its border for months to fend off the virus.
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