[Anchor]
Nearly 600 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in South Korea today.
This has raised the total number of infections in the country to 2,337.
Sehhyeong Kim has our top story.
[Reporter]
According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 315 confirmed coronavirus cases were added this afternoon to the 256 figure that was reported this morning.
Most of the infections still center around Daegu.
Officials are still awaiting test results from members of the Shincheonji religious sect in the southeastern city.
[Clip: Kim Gang-lip: 00:16]
"We have finished collecting samples for nearly 1,300 of over 9,000 members of the Daegu church of the Shincheonji religious sect. It seems that they are more likely going to test positive."
There is a high chance the number of infections will increase in the days to come.
Authorities said they are doing all that it can to secure more health care workers and hospital beds in Daegu.
Concerns over a possible shortage of hospital beds in the worst coronavirus-hit city in South Korea rose after a 75-year-old patient died there yesterday while waiting to be hospitalized.
The country has so far reported 13 deaths from the disease.
Meanwhile, President Moon Jae-in has asked the country's main political parties to swiftly approve an emergency supplementary budget bill, saying it will help contain the outbreak.
The president also expressed concern for the economy, noting that COVID-19 has dealt a heavy blow to it.
Sehhyeong Kim, eFM News.■
<Photo: Yonhap News>
