South Korean Church Leader Arrested Due To Virus Cluster

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – South Korean prosecutors have arrested the elderly leader of a secretive religious sect as part of an investigation into allegations that the church hampered anti-virus measures after thousands of worshippers were infected in February and March. Prosecutors are questioning 88-year-old Lee Man-hee, chairman of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, over charges that the church hid some members and underreported gatherings to avoid broader quarantines. More than 5,200 of the South Korea’s 14,336 cases have been linked to the church. Australia’s Victoria state recorded three more deaths and 397 cases, a significant drop from this week. India recorded the steepest spike of 57,118 new cases, taking its total close to 1.7 million, with July alone accounting for nearly 1.1 million infections.