South Korea has closed all of the bars and clubs in its capital, Seoul — after a super-spreading club-goer was linked to at least 50 coronavirus cases just as social distancing rules were lifted, officials said.
The jolt in cases were all linked to a 29-year-old man who tested positive after spending time at five clubs and bars in Itaewon last weekend, according to Agence France-Presse.
With around 7,200 people estimated to have visited the five clubs, officials fear an even bigger spike in infections — just days after the government relaxed social distancing rules last Wednesday.
Seoul on Saturday ordered more than 2,100 nightclubs, hostess bars and discos to close, with neighboring Gyeonggi province and Incheon city both also shutting their clubs on Sunday.
“Carelessness can lead to an explosion in infections,” Seoul mayor Park Won-soon said, adding that his order will remain in effect indefinitely.
Another 34 new infections were reported on Sunday, most tied to the same cluster.
President Moon Jae-in said that it proves that “it’s not over until it’s over.”
“Even during the stabilization phase, similar situations can arise again, anytime, anywhere in an enclosed, crowded space,” he said. “We must never lower our guard regarding epidemic prevention.”
South Korea endured one of the worst early outbreaks of the disease outside mainland China, AFP noted.
While it never imposed a compulsory lockdown, strict social distancing had been widely observed since March and was only now being lifted, with schools set to re-open next week.
With Post wires
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May 11, 2020 at 04:05AM
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