South Korea closes churches as coronavirus tally passes 3,700

Christian faithfuls wearing masks to prevent contacting the coronavirus sit during a service at a church in Seoul, South Korea, March 1, 2020. Yonhap via REUTERS

SEOUL (Reuters) - Churches were closed in South Korea on Sunday, with many holding online services instead, as authorities fought to rein in public gatherings as 586 new coronavirus infections took the tally to 3,736 cases.

That came a day after the biggest daily jump of 813 cases in South Korea's battle with the largest virus outbreak outside China, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. The death toll rose to 20, up from 17 the day before.