By Park Si-soo
A Daegu-based reporter has tested positive for coronavirus, the first case in South Korea's news industry. It was confirmed on Monday.
The newsroom of the
daily, the reporter's company, was temporarily shut for disinfection and five colleagues, who had worked with the affected man, are in self-quarantine after a virus test.
The pressroom and PR office of the Buk-gu district office of Daegu City, one of the reporter's beats, were also closed for disinfection. Several reporters and district officers who had contact with him there are also in quarantine after a virus test.
How the reporter contracted the virus is yet to be confirmed.
The news organization said it had all employees tested for coronavirus to ensure early detection of extra infection, if any, and allay the concerns of other reporters and people whom its reporters and staff need to meet for reporting or business.
Daegu is the center of South Korea's ballooning coronavirus outbreak ― the number of confirmed cases in Daegu and the surrounding North Gyeongsang Province account for nearly 90 percent of the total (5,328 as of noon Tuesday).