SEOUL: International concern about the spread of Covid-19 outside China grew with sharp rises in infections in South Korea, Italy and Iran.The government in Seoul put the country on high alert after the number of infections surged over 700 with seven deaths.
A focal point was a church in the city of Daegu, where a 61-year-old member of the congregation with no recent record of overseas travel tested positive for the virus.Authorities sealed off the worst affected towns and banned public gatherings in much of the north, including halting the carnival in Venice, where there were two cases, to try to contain the biggest outbreak in Europe.
China, which has seen the vast majority of cases, reported 648 new infections. But only 18 were outside of Hubei province, the lowest number outside the epicentre since authorities began publishing data a month ago and locked down large parts of the country. State run television urged people to avoid complacency, drawing attention to people gathering in public areas and tourist spots without wearing masks.
It has spread to some 26 other countries and territories, with a death toll of around two dozen, according to a Reuters tally.
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