By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

The South Korea CDC reported in an update an additional 169 COVID-19 cases, bringing the outbreak total to 602, including five fatalities.

Image/Robert Herriman

This prompted government officials to raising the alert status in the country to “red”, the highest alert. The escalation in the alert level allows the government to send extra resources to Daegu city and Cheongdo county.

The KCDC outlined the details of the outbreak as follows (computer translated):

  • Among the 556 members so far, there are 309 cases (55.6%) related to the Shincheon Earth Church.
  • In Seoul, an investigation is underway around the case of Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital. To date, two confirmed patients have occurred in the hospital.
  • In Busan, seven people were confirmed by 9 am today. Among them, four confirmed persons were related to Shincheon Daegu Church and three confirmed persons related to Oncheon Church in Dongnae-gu.
  • The Daegu area has secured a list of members of the Shincheon District Daegu Church to check for symptom by wire contact, guide the self-isolation, and promptly inspect any symptoms.  -In addition, 510 patients with pneumonia over 19 years of age were admitted to the area, and 470 patients were examined so far, and a total of 2 patients were identified by 2.22 days.-As a result, Daegu is conducting investigations and quarantine measures with the possibility of expanding the community, and securing 246 beds of Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital and 274 beds of Daegu Medical Center for quarantine treatment of surging patients. 101 medical personnel, including health doctors and nurses, will be treated.
  • In Gwangju area, a total of 7 confirmed patients besides existing 21st century hospitals were confirmed. All attended or contacted religious events at Shinchon Daegu Church, and the investigation is being conducted mainly on the families of the patients and whether they use the Shincheon Learning Center in Gwangju.
    ○ In Gyeongbuk, a third death case (born in 63, male) involving Qingdao Daenam Hospital occurred. The patient was admitted to the hospital for a long time, was confirmed to have died of aggravated pneumonia, and its association with corona 19 is being investigated.

    -In Gyeongbuk, an additional 18 out of 39 people who have visited the Holy Land of Israel from February 8 to 16 were confirmed *, and the remaining 21 are being tested.

    17 Catholics in Andong Diocese (Gyeongbuk), 1 guide (Seoul)

  • 41 churches in the Andong diocese of Catholic church, where the sponsors were confirmed, decided to suspend mass and meeting until March 13.
  • The National Defense Agency’s headquarters says that the current situation is spreading in some regions and groups, and it is necessary to quickly find patients in the regions and group members, promptly isolate the patients, and proceed with active treatment. Most importantly, he said. ○ If you visit or contact Shinchon Daegu Church in February, refrain from outside activities and stay at home, observe hand washing and coughing manners, and whether you have fever or respiratory symptoms (cough, sore throat, dyspnea, etc.) Closely watched for symptoms and immediately reported them to the local public health center.