First death of coronavirus patient stokes widespread health scare in S. Korea

By Lim Chang-won Posted : February 20, 2020, 18:15 Updated : February 20, 2020, 18:15

This picture shows health officials closing down Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo. [Yonhap Photo]

SEOUL -- South Korea reported the first death of a patient infected with a new coronavirus as 53 new cases were confirmed in a single day, bringing the total number of patients to 104 as of Thursday afternoon.

One coronavirus patient was pronounced dead at a hospital in the southeastern county of Cheongdo after showing symptoms of pneumonia, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The dead is a man who had stayed for a long time at a care hospital for the elderly.

Cheongdo in North Gyeongsang Province is about 27 kilometers (17 miles) away from Daegu where dozens of patients were quarantined this week. Just on Thursday, 53 new cases were confirmed mostly in Daegu and the surrounding province.

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin has urged 2.5 million citizens to restrict outdoor activities amid growing concerns that the city may follow the footsteps of Wuhan, the epicenter of China's coronavirus epidemic.
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