SEOUL: Thousands of Protestant church members in Seoul have been asked to quarantine, South Korean authorities said on Monday, as the country battles virus clusters linked to religious groups. The country’s “trace, test and treat” approach has been held up as a global model in how to curb the virus. The largest current cluster is centered on the Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul, headed by a controversial conservative pastor who is a leading figure in protests against President Moon Jae-in. Around one in six of the church members tested so far had been positive, “requiring rapid testing and isolation,” said vice health minister Kim Gang-lip. The leader of Shincheonji — to which more than 5,000 cases were linked — Lee Man-hee was arrested earlier this month for allegedly giving inaccurate records of church gatherings and false lists of its members to health authorities.

Source: Manila Times August 17, 2020 11:06 UTC