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A possible second wave of coronavirus infections could be possible in South Korea after confirmed cases spiked after a hiatus, with an increase linked to nightclubs in Seoul.
The total number of cases linked to nightclubs at Itaewon in Seoul, visited by a 29-year-old patient earlier this month, increased to 54 as of noon Sunday in Seoul, according to the Director General of the Centers for Control and Korea Disease Prevention, Jung Eun-kyeong. Authorities estimate that 6,000 to 7,000 could have been exposed to the club virus between April 29 and May 6.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon ordered the closure of all nightclubs, nightclubs, hostess bars and other similar nightlife establishments in the capital.
Eleven of the 54 confirmed cases are secondary infections, Jung said. The infection rate is highest for those who visited King Club in Itaewon on May 2, he said, adding that more than 30% of confirmed patients are asymptomatic.
“Healthy teens and adults usually make a full recovery without showing many symptoms, but for older people and people with underlying illnesses, it can be fatal,” Jung told reporters on Sunday. “We would like to remind everyone to think about the impact this can have on people with weaker immune systems.”
Gyeonggi Province, located on the outskirts of Seoul City, ordered those who visited certain clubs in Itaewon and Gangnam between April 29 and May 6 to isolate themselves and avoid any person-to-person contact. Governor Lee Jae-myung also announced a ban on all “group gatherings” at entertainment facilities, including karaoke clubs and bars.
The sudden increase in cases sparked memories of an outbreak in a religious sect in late February, which sent daily infections across the nation to nearly 1,000.
South Korea, which had the second-highest number of cases globally after China in early March, has been able to control the spread of the virus without taking severe measures, such as imposing a blockade or banning foreign travel. Instead, the authorities have relied on a massive testing and tracking regime.
South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun pledged to mobilize all available resources to contain further spread of the virus. The country began facilitating its social distancing campaign and earlier this week announced that schools will begin opening their doors on May 13.
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