The mayor of Daegu city has issued an administrative order to have members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu who have not yet been tested for COVID-19, more commonly known as coronavirus, to get tested by Saturday. 

In a regular briefing, Mayor Kwon Young-jin said that 709 church members were tested Friday and 236 tested positive, resulting in a 33 percent ratio.

According to the Mayor, this demonstrates why the remaining followers of the religious sect must also get tested in addition to the extension of the self-quarantine period.

Explaining the decision on the administrative order, Kwon noted the fact that Shincheonji members lead communal lives and many have come in contact with other infected patients over an extended period. This is even after their last known congregational gathering that was held on February 16th.

The mayor said city officials believe that since that gathering, if church members are released from self-quarantine because of the lack of symptoms, it will raise the odds of possible community spread of the virus.

The religious sect has been the hotbed of COVID-19 infections in South Korea.