South Korea Asks Churches to Stop Meeting Until Coronavirus Contained

The coronavirus outbreak in South Korea is so severe that the government’s culture minister on Friday asked churches and other religious bodies to stop gathering until it is contained.

South Korea has the largest outbreak outside of China, with 2,337 cases. More than 500 cases were reported on Thursday alone, the country’s Yonhap News Agency reported.

“This weekend and next weekend are expected to be critical points in [containing] the spread of COVID-19 and [preventing] the situation’s prolongation,” South Korean’s Culture Minister Park Yang-woo said Friday.

“I earnestly ask [such groups] to refrain from any religious services and gatherings for a while in order to prevent further coronavirus infections and the extension of the situation,” he added.

Already, the Catholic church in the country has suspended mass.

Seoul’s Yoido Full Gospel Church, considered the largest church in the world by membership (approximately 800,000), suspended public services and said it would launch online services for members, Yonhap News reported.

Seoul’s Myungsung Church — a Presbyterian congregation with 80,000 members — suspended services after two members, including a pastor, came down with coronavirus.

Meanwhile, scientists at Israel’s MIGAL Galilee Research Institute say they will have a vaccine to coronavirus within a few weeks, according to the Jerusalem Post.

“Given the urgent…