Seoul (AFP)

The spread of the coronavirus in South Korea is "very serious," alarmed President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday, as the number of contaminations in the country jumped to reach nearly a thousand cases.

South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported a total of 144 new cases of new coronavirus infection on Tuesday, bringing the number of people infected in the country to 977, of which 10 have died according to a new balance sheet.

This makes South Korea the most significant contagion outside of mainland China where the coronavirus appeared in December.

The South Korean health authorities first announced on Tuesday 60 new cases, before raising their figure very strongly while announcing 3 new deaths, bringing to 10 the number of deaths from the epidemic in the country.

Over 80% of the contaminations were detected in the city of Daegu (south) and in the surrounding province of North Gyeongsang.

Most of the confirmed cases in Daegu are related to the Shincheonji Church sect of Jesus. A 61-year-old woman who had a fever on February 10 had attended at least four religious services before being diagnosed.

Under pressure from a very critical public opinion, the founder of the Shincheonji Church, Lee Man-hee, indicated that his organization would provide the authorities with a list of its members in order to test them to check if they are not contaminated.

The streets of Daegu, a metropolis of 2.5 million inhabitants, have been largely deserted in recent days, with the notable exception of long lines in front of stores selling protective masks.

Korean Air, for its part, announced that a member of its flight crew had tested positive for the virus, without further details. Press reports reported that the employee recently worked on two flights between Incheon and Los Angeles.

At the same time, the United States could reduce the scope of joint military exercises with South Korea. The two countries "are considering cutting back training at command posts due to the coronavirus," Pentagon chief Mark Esper told Washington press.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has called for "avoiding non-essential travel" to South Korea.

Hong Kong has already announced that it will no longer accept entry into South Africa from travelers from South Korea, with the exception of Hong Kong residents. Mongolia suspended all flights with the country from Tuesday.

© 2020 AFP