South Korean president declares ‘war’ against COVID-19

South Korean president declares ‘war’ against COVID-19

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said his country had declared “war” against the novel coronavirus, with his government on a 24-hour full alert and plans to further expand the number of people tested in the worst-hit areas.

On Tuesday morning, South Korea reported 600 additional cases of the novel coronavirus. With the latest jump, the national tally rose to 4,812, more than two-thirds of which are in the southeastern city of Daegu, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

So far, 87 countries have imposed entry restrictions or quarantine procedures on visitors from South Korea, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said late Tuesday that all passengers on direct flights from South Korea and Italy will be subject to “100 percent screening.” Pence said the rules will be up and running within 12 hours.

The number of confirmed virus cases in South Korea was expected to rise as 15,660 coronavirus tests were conducted the previous day, according to the KCDC.

South Korea has tested 121,039 people for the virus, far more than most countries.

Source: The Washington Post