South Korea's confirmed infections of the new coronavirus that spread from Wuhan in China continued to soar today, without signs of a let-up, as the nation began a massive testing program.
Korea reported 476 new cases of the coronavirus as of midnight, bringing the total number of infections to 4,212, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), Yonhap reports.
So far, 26 people, mostly ones with underlying illnesses, have died here from the virus. Four new deaths were reported earlier in the day, including an 82-year-old man and an 87-year-old woman.
About 57 percent of confirmed cases have been linked to a branch of the Shincheonji religious sect in the southeastern city of Daegu. Most confirmed cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, the epicenters of the virus outbreak here, are believed to be tied to the religious group, officials said.
Of the 476 new cases, 377 are in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and 68 are in neighboring North Gyeongsang, The total number of cases in Daegu and North Gyeongsang stood at 3,081 and 624, respectively.
The update today was based on the number of virus patients tallied at midnight. Previously, a morning update had been based on the number tallied at 9:00 a.m. on the day, but health authorities changed it to help front-line health workers spend more time battling the virus.
Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul's confirmed cases rising by four to 91.
The virus cases in Busan rose by five to 88, and Seoul's neighboring Gyeonggi Province saw its total cases climb by three to 92. The total number of cases in South Chungcheong Province rose by 10 to 78.
A train station in Daegu, some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is disnfected on February 29.
