U.N. cancels meetings after reported virus cases
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has reported 103 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infections, continuing a steady spread as people increasingly venture out in the public amid eased social distancing measures.
The figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday brought the national caseload to 26,146, including 461 deaths.
Sixty-six of the new cases were reported in the densely populated Seoul metropolitan region. At least 31 patients have been linked to a golf gathering in Yongin, which emerged as the country’s latest cluster of infections.
Officials have also been testing thousands of workers at hospitals and nursing homes in the capital area following outbreaks that sickened hundreds at a number of these facilities.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:
— United Nations cancels in-person meetings after virus cases at New York headquarters
— Russian issues nationwide mask mandate; foreign minister Lavrov in quarantine
— Italy registers nearly 22,000 confirmed daily coronavirus cases
— Mask-less Pope Francis noticed by Vatican virus commission
— Iowa elections officials concerned over surge in coronavirus cases, with possible illnesses or absences among key workers and volunteers a hindrance through Election Day.
— World Series played at a neutral site in front of smallest crowds in a century, but Dodgers and Rays are just happy that some fans are there
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— Follow AP’s coronavirus pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Surging coronavirus infections in Chicago have prompted Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to ban indoor dining and bar services in the city and limit the number of people gathering in one place.
The rules taking effect Friday will force diners and bar patrons outdoors and shut down service at 11 p.m. No more than 25 people may gather at one time. Occupancy may not exceed 25% capacity.
The governor said that “without action, this could look worse than anything we saw in the spring.”
Chicago joins six other regions in Illinois that are subject to what the Pritzker administration calls “resurgence mitigations.” A day earlier, Pritzker imposed the restrictions on Cook County areas outside Chicago and Lake County to the north.
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UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations canceled all in-person meetings after a U.N. member nation reported five coronavirus cases among its staff.
General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir sent a letter to the 193 U.N. member nations announcing Tuesday’s cancellation on the advice of the U.N. Medical Unit.
He didn’t identify the country. Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because there hasn’t been a public announcement, say it was the African nation of Niger. Niger’s U.N. Ambassador Abdou Abarry has a staff of 17, according to the latest U.N. directory.
Assembly spokesman Brenden Varma says contact tracing is expected “to be done quickly and efficiently.”
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric says in recent weeks, between 1,300 and 1,400 people swiped their passes every day to enter the U.N. building in New York.
–Edith Lederer
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ROME