At the center of the latest coronavirus surge in South Korea is a Christian group. Local health authorities say hundreds of followers are still unaccounted for.
By Dasl Yoon Close Dasl Yoon and Timothy W. Martin Close Timothy W. Martin Updated Aug. 21, 2020 8:29 am ET SEOUL—
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Mr. Jun, 64 years old, has also said the virus poses little danger, telling followers at a rally even as South Korea’s cases skyrocketed in February: “God will treat us and save us from the deadly disease.” Sarang Jeil officials have said the group has suspended service for two weeks, sent text messages encouraging members to visit health clinics and submitted requested documents. The church didn’t respond to requests for comment.
To encourage reticent Sarang Jeil members to be examined, health officials have offered anonymous testing so a person’s identity would remain concealed. It has set up extra facilities to boost the number of available hospital beds in the Seoul area. “There were already infections spreading, and the Sarang Jeil Church cases were like pouring fuel over fire,” said Kim Dong-hyun, the head of the Korean Society of Epidemiology and a professor at Hallym University’s College of Medicine. “The government had to rush to tighten social-distancing measures.”
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