South Korea could see second wave of coronavirus as Seoul infection rate leaps to highest level in 12 weeks

Significant clusters of infection in capital have been linked to reopened nightclubs, warehouses and religious gatherings, Adam Withnall reports

Shoppers walk through a market in Seoul (AFP/Getty)

South Korea is struggling to contain a spike in new coronavirus cases in Seoul, with the outbreak in the capital now spreading faster than at any point during the pandemic so far.

The country reported 50 new cases on Wednesday, of which 40 were locally transmitted in the Seoul metropolitan area, where significant clusters of infection have been linked to nightclubs, warehouses and religious gatherings.

The spike has proven to be persistent, with a rolling average of Seoul government data showing between 18-20 new cases added each day since Sunday, according to a Yonhap analysis. The previous peak in Seoul’s daily average was 17 on 14 March.