South Korea Scrambles to Contain Seoul Nightclub Coronavirus Outbreak

A man wearing a face mask walks in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon in Seoul on May 10, 2020. South Korea's capital has ordered the closure of all clubs and bars after a burst of new cases sparked fears of a second coronavirus wave as President Moon Jae-in urged the public to remain vigilant. JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images

SEOUL—South Korean officials scrambled on May 11 to contain a new COVID-19 outbreak, searching for thousands of people who may have been infected in a cluster of cases linked to nightclubs and bars in the densely populated capital city of Seoul.

The Asian country has been lauded for its quick action on the pandemic, significantly reducing the rate of new infections in recent weeks, but a resurgence in case numbers has raised concerns the country could enter a second wave outbreak.