S. Korea reports 256 new virus cases, total tops 2,000

SEOUL. KAZINFORM - South Korea reported 256 new cases of the coronavirus on Friday, bringing the total number of infections here to 2,022 as the nation aggressively counters the fast-spreading virus with a massive testing regime, Kazinform refers to Yonhap.

So far, 13 people have died in South Korea from the virus that emerged in China.

More than half of newly confirmed cases are linked to a branch of a religious sect in the southeastern city of Daegu.

Of the 256 new cases, 182 are in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and 49 are in the neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.

Other major provinces and cities have also reported some infections, with Seoul reporting another six cases, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said in a statement.

Since raising the virus alert level to «red,» the highest level, on Sunday, health authorities have focused on halting the spread of the virus in Daegu, the epicenter of the virus outbreak here, and North Gyeongsang Province.

Experts said the number of confirmed cases is expected to jump in the coming days as health authorities have begun testing more than 210,000 members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus at the center of the rapid spread in other provinces.