COVID-19 SPECIAL

Timeline of coronavirus outbreaks in Hong Kong and South Korea

Hong Kong Correspondent Claire Huang and South Korea Correspondent Chang May Choon trace how both places saw a spike in Covid-19 cases despite initial success in curbing the outbreak

Fans keeping a safe distance from one another during a baseball game at a stadium in Seoul on Sunday. South Korea, which eased Covid-19 curbs in May, has had to reimpose them as a second wave of infections hit some places. People eating in a designat
People eating in a designated safe-distancing dining area at the Polytechnic University in Hong Kong. The city banned all dine-in services at eateries yesterday after Covid-19 infections continued to rise. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
Fans keeping a safe distance from one another during a baseball game at a stadium in Seoul on Sunday. South Korea, which eased Covid-19 curbs in May, has had to reimpose them as a second wave of infections hit some places. People eating in a designat
Fans keeping a safe distance from one another during a baseball game at a stadium in Seoul on Sunday. South Korea, which eased Covid-19 curbs in May, has had to reimpose them as a second wave of infections hit some places. PHOTO: REUTERS

HONG KONG

Jan 23: First confirmed patient - a 39-year-old male non-Hong Kong resident - is reported.

Jan 25: All schools, closed for Chinese New Year, to reopen on Feb 17.

Jan 27: Ban on Hubei residents and people who have travelled to Hubei, except Hong Kong residents.

Jan 28: Civil servants to work from home till Feb 2.

Jan 30: Suspension of the high-speed rail service between Hong Kong and China, as well as all cross-border ferry services.

Jan 31: First death reported. It is an imported case, a 39-year-old male Hong Kong resident.

Feb 3: Hundreds of Hong Kong medical workers go on strike to push for full border closure.

Feb 8: Travellers returning from the mainland to be quarantined at home for 14 days.

Feb 25: Hong Kong schools to stay shut till April 20.

March 2: Tally of infected cases hits 100.

March 19: Mandatory two-week quarantine extended to all arriving passengers, including residents.

March 25: Entry ban on most non-residents.

March 29: Tighter measures rolled out including limiting public gatherings to groups of up to four, closures of six types of leisure venues, and eateries to halve their capacities.

MEASURES EASED

May 4: Civil servants return to offices; schools stay shut.

May 8: With no new local transmissions for more than two weeks, gyms, bars, cinemas and gaming centres reopen. Public gathering limit raised to eight.

May 27: Classes for higher secondary students resume, with the younger ones to follow in June.

June 19: Group gathering limit raised to 50 from eight. The caps on other measures are also raised.

CASES START RISING

June 20: New local clusters detected.

July 11: Anti-epidemic measures concerning eateries and other venues tightened.

July 13: Kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools start their summer holidays.

July 15: New rule mandates wearing of face masks on public transport. Ban on dining-in at all eateries from 6pm to 5am and all gatherings capped at four, while some businesses must shut for seven days.

July 21: New cases cross the 2,000 mark.

July 23: Face masks to be worn in all indoor public venues.

July 27: Single-day new infections peak at 145.

July 29: Social distancing measures tightened further, including public gatherings to be capped at two, masks to be worn at all times in outdoor public places, and complete ban on dining-in at all eateries.


SOUTH KOREA

Jan 20: South Korea reports first case - a 35-year-old Chinese woman living in north-western city Incheon who had visited Wuhan.

Feb 4: All arrivals from Hubei province, epicentre of the outbreak in China, banned.

Feb 18: Patient 31, a 61-year-old woman and member of the secretive church Shincheonji, tests positive in south-eastern city Daegu.

Feb 20: First death detected - a 63-year-old man who tests positive posthumously - as number of cases, many traced back to Patient 31, starts spiking.

Feb 21: Daegu and neighbouring Cheongdo designated "special care zones" to allow more funds and resources to be diverted to those places to fight the virus.

Feb 23: Virus alert level raised to red, the highest level, as number of cases spike to 604. New spring term for schools pushed from March 2 to March 9. They will eventually reopen on April 8 with online lessons.

Feb 26: First drive-through testing centre opens, allowing testing to be done in 10 minutes.

Feb 27: Daily figure of 505 new cases outpaces China (450) for the first time. Its total tally hits 1,766.

Feb 29: Number of daily new cases soars to a record high of 909, as testing of all Shincheonji's 200,000 members begins.

March 3: President Moon Jae-in declares "war" against virus, puts all government agencies on 24-hour alert.

March 22: Strict social distancing measures imposed.

April 3: 10,000 threshold is crossed with 10,062 cases recorded. However, number of new cases drops below 100 and will continue to fall in the months ahead.

MEASURES EASED

May 6: Social distancing eased, as daily new cases plunge to single digits.

CASES START RISING

May 11: New cluster linked to Seoul's nightlife district Itaewon hits 94 cases, triggering fears of second wave.

May 20: Schools resume physical lessons in phases, starting with high school seniors.

May 26: Mask-wearing now mandatory on all forms of public transport.

May 29: Strict social distancing re-enforced in Seoul and neighbouring Gyeonggi province and Incheon city.

June 28: Government announces three-level social distancing policy

• Current state of Level 1 (below 50 new cases a day): No specific restrictions.

• Level 2 (daily new cases rise to 51 to 100): Indoor meetings of more than 50 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 100 banned.

• Level 3 (daily new cases exceed 100): School closures, ban on gatherings of 10 or more people.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 30, 2020, with the headline Timeline of coronavirus outbreaks in Hong Kong and South Korea. Subscribe