South Korea confirms 15 new coronavirus cases, total count increases by nearly 50%

South Korea has confirmed 15 new cases of novel coronavirus outbreak on February 19 increasing its total tally by nearly 50 per cent which includes 11 people infected on the southern city of Daegu, as per the reports. South Korea is witnessing economic slowdown amid the virus outbreak in neighbouring China. The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reportedly said that 15 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed, increasing its total from 31 to 46. Of the 46 infected, 13 were in Daegu and neighbouring North Gyeongsang province and 11 of them is believed to be linked to a single patient i.e. a 61-year-old woman.

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Over 2,000 dead in China

KCDC said that they attended the same church as the woman. The woman developed a fever on February 10 and refused to get tested for coronavirus on the grounds of not travelling abroad. According to the reports, she was not quarantined for a week and was later confirmed as the country's 31st case on Tuesday. Amid rising concerns of coronavirus, South Korea and Israel have told their citizens to avoid travelling to Singapore, international media reported. The Asian country, at present, has the highest number of confirmed cases after China. The deadly virus has reportedly killed nearly 2,010 and infected over 75,000 in mainland China. 

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Countries issue travel advisories

Adding to the aforementioned two, other countries that have recommended precautions while visiting Singapore are Indonesia and Taiwan. Kuwait and Qatar have issued travel advisories suggesting their citizens avoid non-essential travel to Singapore in the wake of the deadly epidemic. Meanwhile, according to a report published in an Israeli daily, Health Minster Yakkov Litzman had advised his countrymen against travelling to seven East Asian countries in addition to mainland China.

South Korea announced on February 16 that it would evacuate Koreans that were quarantined on a Coronavirus stricken cruise ship in the Japanese port of Yokohama, according to the reports. This step was taken amid fears after 355 people were found to be infected with the virus. The Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo briefed that the government has decided to bring the Koreans home if they test negative from thermal screenings to be conducted by the Japanese authorities.

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