The government’s culture minister requested South Korean churches and religious groups to stop gathering until the novel coronavirus in the nation is contained.
Coronavirus in South Korea
As of March 3, coronavirus cases in South Korea surged to over 5,100 with 31 deaths. The nation has the largest outbreak outside China, where the outbreak originally started.
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“This weekend and next weekend are expected to be critical points in [containing] the spread of COVID-19 and [preventing] the situation’s prolongation,” South Korean’s Culture Minister Park Yang-woo said last Friday. “I earnestly ask [such groups] to refrain from any religious services and gatherings for a while in order to prevent further coronavirus infections and the extension of the situation.”
South Korean Churches
Some religious groups have already ceased their public services to prevent the further spreading of the virus.
The church considered to be the largest church in the world with over 800,000 members, Seoul’s Yoido Full Gospel Church, also has suspended their public services. Instead, they launched online services to cater to their members.
Seoul’s Myungsung Church, a Presbyterian congregation, has also ceased its services for its 80,000 members. The decision happened after a pastor’s diagnosis (and another member) of coronavirus.
Global issue
The outbreak is now a global issue, however, institutions are exerting an effort to fight the virus.
South Korea came up with an innovative way of testing the coronavirus, they pioneered a coronavirus drive-through testing station. People, with or without symptoms, can drive-through to the station and medical staff gathers their sample. Test results are ready after just 10 minutes.
Scientists at Israel’s MIGAL Galilee Research Institute are also working on a vaccine to end coronavirus. It should launch in a few weeks.
“Given the urgent global need for a human coronavirus vaccine, we are doing everything we can to accelerate development,” MIGAL CEO David Zigdon said.
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Reference: Christian Headlines