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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Concerns grow over church-linked infection clusters

By Jun Ji-hyeChurches are emerging again as hotspots of COVID-19 infections here with most new cases reported Monday being traced to religious gatherings.This is putting the health authorities on edge following the case of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a minor religious sect based in Daegu, which was the center of the surge in infections here in February and March.The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said 23 new patients were traced to 13 small churches ― 11 in Incheon and two in Gyeonggi Province ― as of noon, Monday. “Members of these churches are believed to have participated in prayer services together and spread the virus to each other,” KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said during a media briefing. “We are working to determine who patient zero was there.”Jung added that one patient in his 70s linked to the churches has died from the virus, while another in her 80s is in critical condition, stressing that elderly citizens over 60 need to take extra care amid the public health crisis. Earlier in the day, the KCDC reported 35 new infe

Jun 1, 2020
Concerns grow over church-linked infection clusters
  • S. Korea reports 35 new cases of coronavirus
  • S. Korea pushes QR registration for risky venues

S. Korea pushes QR registration for risky venues

South Korea plans to test quick response (QR) code-based entry logs at nightclubs, eateries, cinemas and even churches starting this week in its latest efforts to track and contain the new coronavirus.Under the plan, the government plans to test the digital entry registers at 19 facilities in Seoul, Incheon and Daejeon from Monday to Sunday before expanding the system across the country.Visitors to the facilities would have to get an one-time QR code via smartphone apps and submit it to the venue. The venue manager would then scan the code and include it in a digital customer register.If a group infection occurs, health authorities would match the digital entry log stored at the Social Security Intelligence Service with individual QR code data provided by the app operator to track visitors at the specific facility.All information will be stored for up to four weeks.While the government has not released the names of the facilities, they are believed to consist of a range of venues, including churches, libraries, nightclubs, restaurants and karaoke facilities.Starting June 10, the gove

Jun 1, 2020
  • S. Korea reports 35 new cases of coronavirus
  • Concerns grow over church-linked infection clusters

Incheon reports 18 church-related virus cases

At least 18 infections traced to a local church were reported in the western port city of Incheon on Monday, raising alerts over additional new coronavirus cases in the wider metropolitan area.The patients, including 11 pastors and some of their wives and church members, were found to have attended a religious event at a church in the Incheon ward of Michuhol on Thursday, according to city officials.In addition to the 18 who have tested positive, health authorities are checking 12 others for the virus.The participants, who came from churches in Incheon and nearby Gyeonggi Province, are assumed to have contracted the infectious virus from a 57-year-old pastor who attended the event."Most of the patients were found not to have worn face masks during the church event," said an official at the government office of Michuhol Ward, adding the infected church did hold a Sunday service over the weekend.Authorities have yet to identify the infection route of the 57-year-old, who started showing symptoms Thursday.Officials said they plan to tighten inspections at religious facilities over their

Jun 1, 2020
  • S. Korea reports 35 new cases of coronavirus

S. Korea reports 35 new cases of coronavirus

South Korea reported 35 more cases of the new coronavirus Monday due mainly to infections tied to a logistics center in a city just west of Seoul, putting health officials on edge over further spread.- S. Korea reports 35 more cases of new coronavirus, total now at 11,503- 1 more virus death, death toll now at 271- 17 more people released after full recovery from coronavirus, total cured patients at 10,422South Korea reported 35 more cases of the new coronavirus Monday due mainly to infections tied to a logistics center in a city just west of Seoul, putting health officials on edge over further spread.The new COVID-19 cases, including 30 local infections, raised the total caseload to 11,503, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).Monday's newly added cases marked a slight rise from 27 identified the previous day. But the tally appears to be on a downward trend after it hit a nearly two-month high of 75 on Thursday.Most of the new infections are tied to a distribution facility run by e-commerce leader Coupang in Bucheon, just west of Seoul.At lea

Jun 1, 2020
S. Korea reports 35 new cases of coronavirus
  • Incheon reports 18 church-related virus cases
  • S. Korea pushes QR registration for risky venues
  • Concerns grow over church-linked infection clusters

Infections decline, but concerns persist over clusters

Health officials conduct a coronavirus test on a student at Yangji Elementary School in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday, after a student there tested positive for the virus. / YonhapBy Jun Ji-hyeThe number of daily new COVID-19 cases in Korea has been declining for four consecutive days, but health authorities remain on high alert for sporadic group infections.The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Sunday it had detected 27 new cases, and there had been one more death, Saturday, which brought the country's total to 11,468, and the death toll to 270. It marks the first time in five days that the country recorded fewer than 30 cases, with the number falling from 79 to 58 to 39 to 27 for the past four days.The authorities have almost completed coronavirus tests on cases related to the latest infection cluster traced to a logistics center operated by e-commerce platform giant Coupang in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.According to the KCDC, 111 virus patients were traced to the Coupang warehouse as of 12 p.m., Sunday, up from 108 reported at 11 a.m., Saturday. Amon

May 31, 2020
Infections decline, but concerns persist over clusters

Food allergies at school: What students, parents and teachers need to know

An elementary school student eats lunch at a table equipped with plastic barriers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at a cafeteria in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, Thursday. YonhapBy Bahk Eun-jiFor most parents, keeping their children safe from coronavirus exposure is the top priority as more students resumed school as part of a phased process since last week.The many challenges now faced include having children comply with quarantine and social distancing rules but families with child who have serious allergies to certain foods have an additional layer of concern. The most worrying part is the school lunch system in Korea where students and teachers normally eat the same food, all together. Back in 2013, a nine-year-old elementary school student in Incheon, west of Seoul, died when he accidently ate curry that contained milk at his school. Born with a severe dairy allergy, he was taught from an early age to be vigilant about everything he ate and drank to prevent going into allergic shock. Although his parents had notified the school authorities about his allergy and asked his homero

May 31, 2020By Bahk Eun-ji
Food allergies at school: What students, parents and teachers need to know

Korea reports 27 new virus cases as cluster infections still in focus

A woman wearing a protective face mask to avoid the spread of COVID-19 looks on at an amusement park in Seoul, April 30, 2020. ReutersSouth Korea reported 27 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday, the lowest since a logistics center-linked cluster infection brought the daily new cases to nearly a two-month high, as health officials kept up efforts to prevent similar collective infections.The new cases, 15 of them local infections, raised South Korea's total coronavirus caseload to 11,468, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).It marks the first time in five days that the daily number of virus cases was below 30. The daily rise of new virus cases reached nearly a two month-high of 79 on Thursday, then declined to 58 Friday and 39 Saturday.But health authorities remain on high alert amid concerns recent cluster infections could develop into another wave of massive infections amid school reopenings. Of the new cases, six were in Seoul. Nearby Gyeonggi Province and Incheon accounted for 12 and three cases, respectively.A distribution facility run by

May 31, 2020
Korea reports 27 new virus cases as cluster infections still in focus

EU urges Trump to rethink cutting funding to WHO

In this file photo taken on April 15, 2020, shows a sign of the World Health Organization at the entrance of their headquarters in Geneva amid the COVID-19 outbreak. U.S. President Donald Trump said May 29 that he was breaking off U.S. ties with the organization, which he says failed to do enough to combat the initial spread of the novel coronavirus. AFPThe European Union on Saturday urged President Donald Trump to rethink his decision to terminate the U.S. relationship with the World Health Organization as spiking infection rates in India and elsewhere reinforced that the pandemic is far from contained.Trump on Friday charged that the WHO didn't respond adequately to the pandemic and accused the U.N. agency of being under China's ``total control.'' The U.S. is the largest source of financial support for the WHO, and its exit is expected to significantly weaken the organization. Trump said the U.S. would be ``redirecting'' the money to ``other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs,'' without providing specifics.The head of the EU's executive arm urged Trump to rec

May 31, 2020
EU urges Trump to rethink cutting funding to WHO

S. Korea reports 39 new virus cases

South Korea logged 39 more coronavirus cases Saturday due largely to cluster infections traced to a distribution center just west of Seoul, as the country strives to fend off a potential new wave of infections.South Korea logged 39 more coronavirus cases Saturday due largely to cluster infections traced to a distribution center just west of Seoul, as the country strives to fend off a potential new wave of infections.The latest infection tally, including 27 local cases, brought the total caseload to 11,441, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).Saturday's daily count was down from the nearly two-month high of 79 on Thursday, but the authorities remained on high alert amid concerns recent bouts of infections could hamper efforts to return to normal after months of the grueling fight against the pandemic that has disrupted daily life and dented economic growth.Many of the new infections were thought to be tied to a distribution facility of e-commerce leader Coupang in Bucheon, which has emerged as a focus of the authorities' containment efforts followi

May 30, 2020
S. Korea reports 39 new virus cases

Coronavirus detected on computers in Coupang office

Health officials run COVID-19 tests on Coupang logistics center employees in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Courtesy of Goyang City Government.By Kim Se-jeongAmid rising concerns over new COVID-19 cases linked to e-commerce giant Coupang's logistics centers, the virus was detected on a computer keyboard, mouse and laptop used by employees in the company's Bucheon logistics center, the health authorities said Friday.“We've collected samples from an office on the second floor of the Bucheon center and ran tests. We suspect those who used those devices might have carried the virus,” said Jung Eun-kyeong, the director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) during a press conference. On Thursday, the authorities said the virus was also found on employees' hats and shoes, triggering worries among customers. Since the first infection linked to Coupang's Bucheon logistics center was reported six days ago, the total number of cases involving two centers has reached 102, according to the KCDC, up 20 from a day earlier. The majority of cases were reported from Co

May 29, 2020By Kim Se-jeong
Coronavirus detected on computers in Coupang office
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