23 New Cases In South Korea, None In China

BANGKOK (AP) – South Korea has reported 23 new cases of the coronavirus, mostly from the densely populated Seoul area where authorities shut down thousands of nightclubs, bars and karaoke rooms in a desperate attempt to stem transmissions. Meanwhile, China reported no new confirmed cases for the first time since it started announcing infections in January. South Korea was reporting around 500 new cases a day in early March before using aggressive tracing and testing to stabilize its outbreak. But there’s growing concern over the steady rise of infections in the greater capital area, where about half of South Korea’s 51 million people live. It came after health authorities relaxed social distancing guidelines and allowed a phased reopening of schools, starting with high school seniors.