SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea is banning large gatherings, shutting nightspots and churches and removing fans from professional sports in unprecedented restrictions as it battles the spread of the coronavirus.
The health minister announced the steps Saturday shortly after the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 332 new cases in the ninth straight day of triple-digit increases.
While most of the new cases came from the densely populated Seoul area, infections were also reported in practically every major city and town, raising concerns that transmissions are slipping out of control.
The government has already imposed elevated social distancing measures in Seoul this week after resisted them for months out of economic concerns.