South Korea Sees Increase of Nearly 300 New Coronavirus Cases

US Official Warns Americans: Prepare for Community Spread of New Coronavirus

Americans should prepare for community spread of the new coronavirus, with families sitting down and explaining that there could very well be a rapid, sudden increase in the number of patients, a top federal health official said on Tuesday. In an escalation from previous warnings, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) official, said Americans should prepare for their lives to be disrupted by spread of the new virus, including closures of schools and businesses. She told reporters in a phone call that the number of cases popping up without a known source of exposure in Italy, Iran, South Korea, and other countries “makes all of us feel that the risk of spread in the United States is increasing.” Messonnier recounted sitting down with her family…

South Korea on Feb. 26 reported 284 new cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the largest tally in a day since the country reported its first confirmed case last month.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced 115 new cases late on Feb. 26. Earlier in the morning, the government reported an increase of 169 new cases from the previous day.

South Korea now has at least 1,261 known cases of coronavirus and 12 fatalities. Among them, 24 have fully recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospital.

Feb. 26 also marks six consecutive days that South Korea reported triple digits in new cases, starting with 100 cases reported on Friday, 229 cases on Saturday, 169 cases on Sunday, 231 cases on Monday, and 144 cases on Tuesday.

Of the 284 new cases reported on Wednesday, 167 are in Daegu and 68 are in the broader North Gyeongsang province.

Daegu and North Gyeongsang province have seen the majority of the confirmed cases in South Korea, with 710 and 317, respectively.

The majority of known infection cases in South Korea are connected either to Shincheonji Church in Daegu or Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, a county in North Gyeongsang province. At least seven of the 12 deaths are connected to the hospital.

There has been a large spike in cases in Daegu and nearby areas, after a 61-year-old female follower of the church tested positive for the virus on Feb. 18 as the country’s 31st confirmed case.

The South Korean government has begun testing about 210,000 followers of the church in an effort to contain the outbreak.

Also on Feb. 26, a U.S. military soldier stationed at Camp Carroll in South Korea tested positive for coronavirus—the first U.S. soldier to be infected by the virus.

Camp Carroll is located in the village of Waegwan, which is about 12 miles from the city of Daegu.

Local outlet Yonhap News Agency reported late on Wednesday afternoon that the infected U.S. solider had been transferred from his off-base residence to a hospital at U.S. Army garrison Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, which is about 43 miles south of the capital Seoul.

According to Yonhap, 16 countries have imposed entry restrictions against travelers from South Korea. Among them, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore have banned entry to travelers who have been to Daegu or Cheongdo in the past 14 days.

The Philippines has imposed an entry ban on travelers from North Gyeongsang province, local newspaper Manila Bulletin reported on Wednesday. 

This article is from the Internet:South Korea Sees Increase of Nearly 300 New Coronavirus Cases

Tennessee Girl Evelyn Boswell Still Missing After Grandmother, Man Waive Extradition

Two suspects who authorities say are connected to the disappearance of a missing girl will be extradited back to Tennessee from North Carolina. Angela Boswell, 42, of Kingsport, Tennessee, and her boyfriend, William McCloud, were arrested on fugitive warrants in North Carolina last week. Both were being sought for questioning in the disappearance of missing 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell. The girl was not with Boswell, who is her grandmother, and McCloud when they were captured. They were arrested after the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said officials were searching for their vehicle, which was reported stolen, in connection to the case. “I’d like to get back there and get this situation with my granddaughter resolved,” Boswell told Wilkes County District Court Judge David Byrd, reported USA Today. The pair were previously charged…