South Korea has reported 52 new cases of a new coronavirus, raising the total to 156.
Authorities in Seoul also on Friday banned rallies in major downtown areas in efforts to fight the viral outbreak.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that 41 of the 52 cases were reported in the southeastern city of Daegu and the surrounding region, which has recently seen a sudden jump in virus cases.
South Korea's central government declared the area a "special management zone" earlier Friday because of how the COVID-19 illness is spreading there.
