South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday urged the public to remain vigilant as the capital has ordered the closure of all clubs and bars after a burst of new cases sparked fears of a second coronavirus wave.
The nation has been held up as a global model in how to curb the virus, but the order from the Seoul mayor followed a new infection cluster in Itaewon, one of the city’s busiest nightlife districts.
So far, more than 50 cases have been linked to a 29-year-old man who tested positive after spending time at five clubs and bars in Itaewon last weekend.
Seoul mayor Park Won-soon said, “Carelessness can lead to an explosion in infections”.
Gyeonggi province — which surrounds Seoul with a population of around 12 million people — also ordered more than 5,700 entertainment facilities to suspend operations for two weeks starting Sunday.
With around 7,200 people estimated to have visited the five establishments, health authorities have warned of a further spike in infections and have asked those who went to any of the venues to get tested.
Of the 34 new infections reported on Sunday, 24 were tied to the Itaewon cluster, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The spike in new infections came as everyday life in South Korea was slowly returning to normal, with the government relaxing social distancing rules last Wednesday.
President Moon said Sunday the new cluster had “raised awareness that even during the stabilisation phase, similar situations can arise again anytime”.
Moon has enjoyed growing public support on the back of his government’s handling of the virus, which led to a landslide victory for his ruling party at last month’s parliamentary elections.
“I think this incident can happen anywhere, not only in Itaewon,” said Kim Jae-sung, a chef at a neighbourhood restaurant.
“What is most important is one’s of social distancing, avoiding enclosed places and being aware so that incidents like this won’t happen again,” he told AFP.
The country once had the largest outbreak outside China, where the disease first emerged in December last year, but appears to have brought it under control with an extensive “trace, test and treat” programme.
South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun during a virus meeting on Wednesday called for vigilance and instructed officials to prepare for a possible second wave of infections. He said preventing an overwhelming of hospitals in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area would be key.
Facilities such as museums and churches have reopened and some professional sports — including baseball and soccer — have started new seasons, while schools are set to re-open starting next week.
Earlier in April, South Korea became one of the first countries in the world to hold a national election since the coronavirus epidemic began, with many others postponing elections.
South Korea has won praise from the World Health Organization for its successful flattening of the curve, with more than a dozen world leaders seeking Seoul’s advice on quarantine measures and requesting test kits.
(With inputs from agency)