The first confirmed case of the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South Korea was announced on 20 January 2020.[1] On 19 February, the number of confirmed cases increased by 20 and on 20 February by 58[2] or 70,[3] giving a total of 346 confirmed cases on 21 February 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Korea (KCDC), with the sudden jump mostly attributed to "Patient 31" who participated in a gathering at a Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony church in Daegu.[3] As of 25 February 2020[update], the number of confirmed cases in South Korea was 896 and 10 deaths, the largest after China.[4][5] By 24 February 2020, there were more cases in South Korea than on the cruise ship with 763 and 691 infections, respectively.[6] Amidst the fears of further contamination, mass gatherings in the affected cities were cancelled and military bases were put on lockdown.[7][8] South Korea currently has the second highest infection count per country in the world, surpassed only by Mainland China.