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South Korea reports almost 600 new coronavirus cases in the country

The total number of people infected with the virus to 2,931

TASS, February 29. South Korea has confirmed 594 more cases of the novel coronavirus in the country bringing the total number of people infected with the virus to 2,931, Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday.

According to the news agency, "So far, 16 people have died in South Korea from the virus that emerged in China."

"Of the 594 new cases, 476 are in Daegu, 300 kilometers [186 miles] southeast of Seoul, and 60 were reported in neighboring North Gyeongsang Province," Yonhap reported citing the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

On December 31, 2019, the Chinese authorities reported to the World Health Organization about an outbreak of pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan, an economic and industrial megalopolis with a population of 11 million.

The virus was identified on January 7 as 2019-nCoV. As of today, 60 countries and territories, including Russia, have reported confirmed coronavirus cases.

The World Health Organization declared the new coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, characterizing it as an epidemic with multiple locations. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on February 11 that the organization gave the novel coronavirus an official name of COVID-19.

According to the latest reports, over 85,200 cases of patients infected with the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in China and other countries. The virus’ death toll has hit the number of 2,923, yet more than 39,440 patients have recovered from the disease.