S Korea COVID-19 Cases May Rise After Clubgoer Tests Positive

South Korea has experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases after confirming 18 new ones—17 of which are related to a clubgoer who tested positive last weekend, as per Yonhap News Agency.

A 29-year-old individual had gone to five different clubs in Itaewon, Seoul on May 2 and is assumed to have gotten into contact with at least 1,500 people before testing positive, the Korean Herald reports. The patient and others who were with him did not have masks on while club-hopping, the report adds.

Health officials now expect a surge of positive cases in the coming days linked to the patient. Contact tracing is currently being undertaken to track those who may have interacted with the patient or gone to the areas where the patient has been. As an added precaution, Seoul Mayor Park Won Soon also issued an administrative order to put the operations of bars, clubs, and other related businesses on hold until further notice.

Currently, South Korea is under what they call an “everyday life quarantine” where individuals are allowed to carry out economic and social activities while maintaining proper distancing. Regular disinfection, avoidance of face-to-face interactions, and wearing of face masks are all strictly enforced. Business owners are allowed to operate as long as mass gatherings are prevented.