Spike of cases in Seoul and Wuhan raises fears about a second wave
SOUTH KOREA and China have reported fresh surges in coronavirus cases in the wake of both countries easing their lockdown measures.
“The nation is at risk,” Park Won-soon, the mayor of the South Korean capital Seoul, said yesterday, warning that the next few days would be “critical” in preventing the spread of the virus from a cluster of cases linked to several nightclubs and bars.
A total of 86 new infections have been reported in the latest outbreak, as officials race to track down thousands of people who may have come into contact with a 29-yearold man who visited the venues before testing positive for Covid-19.
South Korea has won global praise for successfully controlling the virus with its efficient “test, track, treat” strategy, reducing new infections to a daily trickle of single-digit figures. The sudden spike in cases has raised fears of a second coronavirus wave.
The authorities have tested more than 2,450 people who went to the night spots in the Itaewon neighbourhood, but officials are still trying to track down about 3,000 more with the help of phone records and credit card data.
Entertainment venues require customers to provide their contact details at the entrance for tracing purposes in the event of an outbreak.
However, Mr Park said he believed some who were not accounted for may have given false details.
The contact tracing operation has been complicated by the fact that many of the new cases have been linked to venues catering to members of the LGBT community.
Homosexuality is often treated as a taboo subject in South Korea’s conservative society, and LGBT people can face discrimination, including job losses and hate speech.
The new cluster has highlighted difficulties with the country’s invasive tracing methods and its disclosure of some patient information, including their recent locations.
The authorities have sought to reassure those who come forward that their privacy will be protected.