South Korea reports 500 new Coronavirus cases, death toll rises to 22

South Korea reported nearly 500 new coronavirus cases on Monday, sending the largest national total in the world outside China past 4,000. Meanwhile, Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reportedly announced that four more people had died taking the nationwide death toll to 22. South Korea, now, has the second-highest number of infected cases after China, international media reported.  

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The country’s central bank has reportedly warned citizens of negative growth in the first quarter of the year and said that both exports and consumption will be affected by the virus outbreak. South Korea, currently, is the world’s 12th largest economy. Meanwhile, the deadly virus has killed over 4,000 people and infected over 88,000 people hitting more than 30 countries across the globe, international media reported. 

North Korea warns of consequences

North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un has called for stronger efforts to guard against global Coronavirus outbreak, saying there will be "serious consequences" if the outbreak spreads to the country. North Korea has not reported a single case of COVID-19, which has killed more than 4,000 people and infected over 88,000 people in dozens of countries since it emerged in neighbouring China, Al Jazeera reported.

However, a news report on Saturday claimed that Kim Jong-un sanctioned for the execution of the first person who tested positive for the deadly virus. 

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90 per cent cases emerged in Daegu

The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reportedly confirmed that more than 90 per cent of cases of the novel Coronavirus in South Korea emerged in Daegu, a province in North Gyeongsang. Like Wuhan City in China, Daegu has become the South Korean epicentre of the disease.

South Korea’s Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip warned the country of the upsurge in Coronavirus infections as health authorities scrambled to diagnose the members of the Shincheonji religious group, international media reported. 

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