Seoul (AFP)

The number of new daily coronavirus infections has almost doubled in South Korea, with 142 new cases for a total now at 346, authorities said on Saturday morning.

A second person died from Covid-19 disease, the Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) added in a statement.

Of the most recent cases of infection, 92 were related to a hospital in Cheongdo, and the two deceased had stayed there.

"Most of the patients at this hospital who were diagnosed are those who had been admitted to the hospital for mental health problems," Deputy Minister of Health Kim Gang-lip told reporters in Seoul.

This city in the south of the country is the birthplace of Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a Christian sect strongly affected by the new coronavirus. Three weeks ago, Mr. Lee's brother's funeral was held for three days in a room belonging to this hospital.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in asked for a "thorough investigation" on Friday of each of those who attended the funeral and the church services in Shincheonji.

"If you just rely on the information provided by the church, the process can be slow," he said, stressing the need for "faster action".

The municipality of Daegu, the fourth largest city in the country (2.5 million inhabitants), advised its residents to confine themselves to their homes.

Some 9,300 members of the Shincheonji Church in Daegu have been quarantined in specific facilities or have asked to stay at home, the KCDC also said.

Among them, 544 said they had symptoms of the disease, medical officials said.

Daegu and Cheongdo on Friday became "special management areas," according to the South Korean government.

For its part, the command of the garrison of the American army installed in the city - which represents a total of about 10,000 people - has restricted its access.

If we exclude the focus of infection of the Diamond Princess liner in Japan, South Korea is the second country to have the highest number of cases at the national level after China, where the epidemic started.

© 2020 AFP