South Korea COVID-19 infections rampant after protest

South Korea's coronavirus infections are back and spreading nationwide after members of a church attended a political demonstration, authorities said on Thursday. 

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 288 new cases as of midnight on Wednesday, marking a week of triple-digit daily increases, although down slightly from the previous day's 297.

"This is a grave situation that could possibly lead to a nationwide pandemic," Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip told a briefing.

Without aggressive contact tracing, the country could experience the types of spikes and continued infections witnessed in the United States and Europe, said KCDC deputy director Kwon Jun-wook.

"Consider the COVID-19 pandemic now to be in full swing."