South Korea declares 'war' on coronavirus as cases approach 5,000 March 02, 2020 at 08:15PM

South Korean President Moon Jae-in declared "war" against the coronavirus on Tuesday, placing all government agencies on a 24-hour emergency footing as the country's total cases — the largest in the world outside China — approached 5,000. Of the 4,812 cases nationwide, nearly 90 percent were in Daegu and the neighbouring province of North Gyeongsang.