K-pop band BTS cancels South Korea shows over coronavirus fears
From CNN’s Julia Hollingworth in Hong Kong
BTS performs onstage during 102.7 KIIS FM's Jingle Ball 2019 Presented by Capital One at the Forum on December 6, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Rich Fury/Getty Images for iHeartMedia
The hugely popular K-pop band BTS has cancelled four concerts in the South Korean capital Seoul due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus.
The four concerts were set to take place in April, the group’s management company announced on the band’s official Facebook page.
More than 200,000 people were expected to attend the shows.
Big Hit Entertainment wrote that the coronavirus "has made it impossible at this time to predict the scale of the outbreak during the dates of the concert in April, alongside increasing uncertainty about the cross-border movement of concert staff and equipment.”
The band said that those who bought tickets will receive a full refund.
The stakes of cancelling the Seoul tour are particularly high since the band recently released a new album and made high-profile appearances on US television, including on Jimmy Fallon’s “The Tonight Show.”
South Korea has the largest outbreak outside of mainland China with more than 2,000 cases.
9:30 p.m. ET, February 27, 2020
If you're just joining us, here's the latest on the novel coronavirus
South Korean medical workers wearing protective gear visit a residence of people with suspected symptoms of the coronavirus in Daegu on Thursday. Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images
The coronavirus outbreak is continuing to spread across the globe, with cases reported in every continent except Antartica.
In Asia, South Korea reached a grim milestone on Friday of more than 2,000 cases.
The latest numbers: There are more than 83,000 cases around the world, includingover 2,850 deaths. The vast majority of these are in mainland China, which has reported 78,824 cases and 2,788 deaths.
The deaths: Outside of mainland China, 70 virus-related deaths have been recorded:
Iran: 26
Italy 17
South Korea: 13
Japan 8
Hong Kong and France: 2 each
The Philippines and Taiwan: 1 each
South Korea spike: The East Asian country has the most confirmed coronavirus cases outside of mainland China, totaling 2,022. It has reported 13 deaths. Many of the cases are linked to a religious group in the country's south.
More cases in Italy: At least 650 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Italy, officials said. Across Europe, at least 11 countries now have confirmed cases of the virus, with many of the patients having visited the Lombardy region at the center of Italy's outbreak.
Stock market plunge: US stocks again sold off sharply as coronavirus fears mounted. The Dow closed down 1,191 points, or 4.4% -- the worst one-day point drop in history. The index has now lost 3,226 points this week.
Saudi Arabia bans some pilgrimages: Saudi Arabia has suspended pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina for people outside the country over coronavirus fears. For context, a wholesale temporary ban on foreign visits to the holy sites is a first in living memory.
Coronavirus in Africa: Nigeria confirmed its first case of coronavirus on Thursday in Lagos state. Nigeria is the third African nation to report the virus, the others are Egypt and Algeria which both have one case each.
10:12 a.m. ET, February 28, 2020
Coronavirus cases in South Korea rise past 2,000
From Hyoungjoo Choi in Seoul
South Korean army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant to prevent the spread of coronavirus on a street in Daegu, South Korea, on Thursday, February 27. Lee Moo-ryul/Newsis via AP
South Korea reported 256 more confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday morning, bringing the national total to 2,022, according to the South Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).
The country has the most confirmed coronavirus cases outside of mainland China.
Among the 256 new cases, 182 are from Daegu, the epicenter of the outbreak in South Korea. A total of 1,314 cases since the beginning of the outbreak have come from Daegu, according to the KCDC.
Many of the cases are linked to the Shincheonji religious group in the country's south.
An additional 49 cases are from North Gyeongsang province, which surrounds Daegu city.
Thirteen people have died from the virus in South Korea.
