As Virus Spreads, Koreans Blame Refusal to Stop Chinese Visitors
- Coronavirus cases soar past 2,000, doubling in just two days
- Anger mounts over President Moon Jae-in’s handling of crisis
Workers spray disinfectant at a bus depot in the Eunpyeong district of Seoul on Feb. 24.
Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
In a matter of days, South Korea has swung from confidence that it had escaped the worst of the coronavirus outbreak to a cautionary tale of how quickly the disease can plunge a nation into crisis.
Confirmed cases of the deadly disease surged past 2,000 on Friday -- doubling in two days and raising alarm about the worst outbreak outside of neighboring China. Supermarket shelves are emptying, mask prices are soaring and hospital beds are running out in Daegu city, where the disease has stricken many from a religious sect. Epidemiological models predict that infections in Korea will top 10,000 in March.