The South Korean government said on Wednesday that it will consult whether to raise its current infectious disease warning to the highest level based on the results of the ongoing epidemiological investigations into new confirmed cases of coronavirus where infection pathways remain unknown.

The announcement came after a report of 20 more cases of the novel coronavirus infection, officially named COVID-19, bringing the total number in Korea to 51 just in one day on Wednesday. Most new patients traced to church services, raising concerns that far more cases would follow despite tighter quarantine measures.

Of the new 20 cases, 15 are linked to the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a Korea-based religious movement founded in 1984 by South Korean Lee Man-hee who is revered as a messiah by followers. The 15 patients include a 61-year-old woman diagnosed as the country’s 31st case on Tuesday and 14 others who came into close contact with her at packed church services.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) will discuss warning level adjustments after carefully analyzing the forthcoming results of investigations into the 29th and 30th cases, their contacted persons and infection pathways in Jongro and the massive outbreaks in Daegu, KCDC Director Jeong Eun-kyung said.

Quarantine authorities maintain the current warning at Level 3 on the four-tiered system, which means a new infectious disease is spreading in limited areas. The maximum level 4, or “seriousness”, means that widespread infection is taking place in society.

The country upped the level to “orange”, the third highest level, just a week after the country’s first case was confirmed.

By Pulse

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