South Korean president calls for calm after spike in coronavirus cases linked to nightclubs

Mayor of Seoul warns careless behaviour could lead to 'explosion in infections'

South Korea's president Moon Jae-in has said there is 'no reason to stand still out of fear' over the rise in cases (EPA)

South Korea’s president has called for calm after a spike in new coronavirus cases linked to nightclubs sparked fears of a second wave of infections as the country attempts to relax social distancing restrictions.

Health officials reported 34 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday - the first time South Korea’s daily tally had been above 30 in about a month - as Moon Jae-in, the country’s president, said there was “no reason to stand still out of fear” but stressed the need for caution over the increase.

The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said 26 of the 34 new patients were locally transmitted cases, while the others came from overseas.

Most of the cases which have been reported in recent days have been linked to nightclubs in Seoul’s Itaewon entertainment neighbourhood after a 29-year-old man visited three clubs before testing positive for Covid-19 last week.

The incident has highlighted the difficulties with opening large venues, such as clubs and bars, as health authorities have scrambled to contact nearly 2,000 people who could have had contact with the patient, according to Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.

Park Won-soon, Seoul’s mayor, has ordered more than 2,100 nightclubs, hostess bars and discos to close and urged others to enforce anti-virus measures in response to the spike in cases.

“Carelessness can lead to an explosion in infections,” Mr Park warned.

Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul, and Incheon city, just west of Seoul, also issued a “no-assembly” order on Sunday for clubs and entertainment facilities.

Figures released by the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention showed the number of total virus cases was 10,874, with 256 deaths, as of Sunday.

“The infection cluster, which recently occurred in entertainment facilities, has raised awareness that even during the stabilisation phase, similar situations can arise again, anytime, anywhere in an enclosed, crowded space,” Mr Moon said.

“We must never lower our guard regarding epidemic prevention.”

The president also insisted South Korea had “the right quarantine and medical systems combined with experience to respond quickly to any unexpected infection clusters that might occur.”

South Korea’s spike in cases came as other countries which have managed to control their Covid-19 outbreaks reported new clusters of infections, sparking concerns about a potential second wave of the pandemic.

In Germany, health officials warned the country’s infection rate had risen to more than one - above the number required to keep the epidemic in decline.

Meanwhile, China reported 14 new cases on Sunday - its first double-digit increase in 10 days - with authorities raising the threat level in the city of Shulan to high risk, just days after all regions were downgraded to low risk.

The Shulan outbreak is believed to have originated from a 45-year-old woman with no recent travel or exposure history who spread the virus to her husband, her three sisters and other family members.

Additional reporting by agencies