在新冠状病毒日益蔓延的情况下，韩国总理警告该国公民不要“非法囤积”医疗用品。上周末，韩国被迫将其警戒级别提升至最高点，受感染人数上升至600多人，至少有6人死于该病毒。
随着病毒的传播呈上升趋势，韩国总理钟士均周六向公众发布消息，呼吁居民配合政府遏制病毒传播的努力。
钟称最近的感染人数激增是“严重的情况”，并要求市民避免拥挤的室内空间，包括举行宗教活动的地方，根据韩国时报。他说，公民应该找到不同的方式与他们所爱的人一起进行宗教仪式，不需要他们去拥挤的场所。
钟还警告说，韩国人可能会因为干涉检疫工作和试图囤积医疗用品而面临惩罚。
“根据法律和原则，政府将严厉打击干扰检疫工作的行为，非法囤积医疗用品和通过大规模集会引发不安的行为，”钟在公开信息中说。
2月21日，在首尔地铁站，戴着防护装备的消毒工人摆出姿势，准备进行冠状病毒(COVID-19)消毒。
与此同时，总统文在寅表示，该国正面临一个“严重的转折点”，接下来的几天对遏制冠状病毒的传播至关重要。
据英国广播公司报道，周日，中国习近平主席称此次冠状病毒爆发是该国近代史上“最大的公共卫生突发事件”。他说，他意识到中国应对疫情的“缺点”，并表示必须从全球的情况中吸取教训。
这种新的冠状病毒首先在中国湖北省发现，引起一种被称为Covid-19的呼吸道疾病。根据约翰·霍普斯金大学对冠状病毒传播的在线追踪，截至周日早上，全球已发现超过78820例病例。在这些病例中，至少有2466例死亡。其中76，936例发生在中国大陆，该国有2，442人死于该病毒。
与此同时，截至周日上午，韩国已有602人死亡，其中6人死亡。美国已经记录了35例病例，迄今没有死亡病例。
SOUTH KOREAN PRIME MINISTER WARNS AGAINST 'ILLEGAL HOARDING OF MEDICAL GOODS' AS CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS SURPASS 600
South Korea's Prime Minister warned the country's citizens against the "illegal hoarding" of medical goods amid the growing spread of the new coronavirus. Over the weekend, South Korea was forced to push its alert level to its highest point, as the number of those infected rose to more than 600 people, with at least six deaths resulting from the virus.
With the spread of the virus on the rise, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun issued a message to the public on Saturday, calling on residents to cooperate with the government's bid to contain the spread of the virus.
Calling the recent surge in infections a "grave situation," Chung asked citizens to avoid crowded indoor spaces, including those where religious activities are being held, according to The Korea Times. He said citizens should find different ways to carry out religious services with their loved ones that do not require them to visit crowded venues.
Chung also warned that South Koreans could face punishment for interfering in quarantine efforts and for trying to hoard medical goods.
"In accordance with law and principles, the government will sternly deal with acts that interfere with quarantine efforts, illegal hoarding of medical goods and acts that spark uneasiness through massive rallies," Chung said in a public message.
Disinfection workers wearing protective gear pose and prepare to disinfect against the coronavirus (COVID-19) at the subway station on February 21 in Seoul.
President Moon Jae-in, meanwhile, said the country was facing a "grave turning point," with the next few days being critical in the effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
On Sunday, China's President Xi Jinping described the coronavirus outbreak as the "largest public health emergency" in the country's recent history, according to the BBC. He said he was aware of "shortcomings" in China's response to the outbreak and said lessons must be learned from the situation unfolding across the globe.
The new strain of coronavirus, first discovered in China's Hubei province, causes a respiratory disease known as Covid-19. According to the John Hopkins University's online tracker of the spread of coronavirus, there have been more than 78,820 cases identified worldwide as of Sunday morning. Of those cases, at least 2,466 have resulted in death. 76,936 of those cases have been in Mainland China, with the country seeing 2,442 deaths related to the virus.
South Korea, meanwhile, had seen 602 as of Sunday morning, with 6 deaths recorded. The U.S. has seen 35 cases recorded, with zero deaths to date.
