Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun on Tuesday called for all-out efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak, saying this week is a critical juncture to assess whether the virus may spread nationwide.

Chairing a Cabinet meeting, he said that preemptive, active measures are needed more than ever and asked ministries and agencies to assure the public they can trust in the government's response.

Chung also said that after the meeting ends, he will head to Daegu, the region that has been hardest hit by the outbreak, and oversee and command quarantine efforts onsite.

He said he will work together with Daegu citizens and North Gyeongsang Province residents to contain the situation as quickly as possible.

Regarding the decision to obtain the list of all members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a religious sect that has been a hotbed for a cluster of infections, the prime minister said tests must be swiftly conducted and results transparently notified to the public.

He said South Korea can also overcome COVID-19 by applying its experience from the SARS and MERS outbreaks.

The Cabinet meeting also approved revised regulations on ensuring a stable supply of protective masks for medical personnel and directly providing half of all masks produced to the socially vulnerable and people who actually need them.