It seems like from out of nowhere, the number of COVID-19 cases in South Korea has ballooned to 156, with 52 of them being confirmed just today.
Many of the cases in South Korea are linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu, the fourth largest city in South Korea with a population of more than 2.5 million.
It all started after a 61-year-old woman, also known as “Patient 31”, developed a fever on 10 February but still attended at least four church services before being diagnosed.
More than 80 church members have already tested positive for the coronavirus, and it seems like the number just keeps on increasing.
As of now, according to the mayor of Daegu, Kwon Young-jin, during a briefing, more than 400 church members are displaying the symptoms of the highly contagious disease.
They have already been told to isolate themselves from their family members while tests are being carried out to determine if they do have COVID-19.
Daegu Now A Ghost Town
As a result of this, Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin has warned all residents to remain indoors because they “are in an unprecedented crisis”.
According to South Korea’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak there is considered to be a “super-spreading event”, though the WHO disagrees with the statement.
A once-bustling city with people roaming the streets is now a ghost town because everyone has decided to keep themselves off the streets for the time being to avoid being infected.
A Twitter user @IEofgroup has shared photos of the current Daegu.
While there are still a few people commuting here and there, these photos show a stark difference between the Daegu now and the Daegu a couple of weeks ago.
Shopping malls and cinema theatres are also deserted.
A 28-year-old Daegu resident by the name of Kim Geun-woo said to Reuters, “It’s like someone dropped a bomb in the middle of the city. It looks like a zombie apocalypse.”
It is absolutely scary and sad to see another city become a ghost town. We can only pray that the situation gets better soon.
In the meantime, please remember to maintain proper hygiene and stay safe, everyone!
