(CNN) — South Korea has reported another 219 coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s total number of cases to 3,150.
That’s another big jump, following an earlier announcement Saturday morning that authorities had recorded 594 new cases overnight.
The South Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) has also reported one new death since Saturday morning, bringing the nationwide death toll to 17. The deceased is identified as a man born in 1943.
Link to religious group: Earlier on Saturday, KCDC said more than half of the country’s coronavirus cases were linked to the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji religious group.
South Korea’s Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip also warned that there were likely to be more confirmed cases in Daegu as tests on the Shincheonji religious group members continue.
Military cases: There are 27 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the country’s military as of 4pm local time on Saturday, the South Korean defense ministry announced in message to reporters.
The US and South Korean militaries announced Thursday they would postpone a command post training exercise due to growing concerns about the spread of the coronavirus in South Korea. One US service member serving as part of the 28,000-strong American contingent in South Korea has tested positive for the coronavirus and has been placed in quarantine.
A widow of a former service member serving with US-Forces Korea and a South Korean national who was working at US installations in Korea have also tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
This update was first published on CNN.com “South Korea now has more than 3,100 coronavirus cases“
