New Cluster of Coronavirus Infections Linked to Nightclubs as South Korea Begins to Reopen

South Korea reported 12 additional cases of a new coronavirus on Friday, all tied to a 29-year-old man who visited nightclubs in Itaewon, a district in Seoul.

Of the 12 new cases, 11 were linked to the man's socializing in Itaewon and one was a co-worker, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Officials have linked a total of 15 new cases to the man and are advising anyone who visited any club or bar in Itaewon on Saturday to get tested if they start noticing symptoms of the virus.

At one point, South Korea had the largest outbreak outside of China, but the country's since become an example to other countries for how to respond to the outbreak. They've reported 10,822 cases and 256 deaths–comparatively low numbers–which has been attributed to their ability to conduct widespread testing and extensive contact tracing, allowing them to isolate those who may have been exposed.

By mid-March, the KCDC was reporting more instances of people recovering than new cases. On April 30, officials reported no new domestic cases for the first time since February 18.

On Wednesday, the country transitioned into the "Distancing in Daily Life" campaign. It allowed South Korea to move away from strict social distancing guidelines while following basic rules to limit infections, such as staying home if they're sick, keeping two arms' lengths away from others, and continuing to wash their hands regularly.

High school seniors are scheduled to resume classes on May 13, followed by an incremental reopening to other grades that culminates in a full reopening the first week of June. Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a briefing that it was "too early" to decide if there was a need to postpone but added that they'll monitor the spread of the virus and review information.

Now that a new cluster of cases has emerged, officials are taking action to try to nip the outbreak in the bud. Public health authorities are identifying additional people that may have visited places where the 29-year-old is known to have gone and are conducting an epidemiological investigation to find the source of the infection. South Korean officials are also advising nightclubs and bars to close for a month and could postpone the reopening of schools.

The 29-year-old tested positive on Wednesday and wasn't wearing a mask inside the clubs. So it's likely that anyone who visited any of three nightclubs where the man went–King Club, Trunk or Queen–during the early morning hours on Saturday was exposed, according to the KCDC. Given that they may have been infected and could be transmitting the virus to others, the KCDC advised them to stay home and get tested if they have symptoms.

On Saturday, the clubs' visitors lists showed they had more than 1,500 customers, according to the Associated Press. "A drop of ink in clear water spreads swiftly," Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip said during a briefing. "Anyone can become that drop of ink that spreads COVID-19."