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South Korean broadcasting company, YTN News, reported that 1,777 members from a fringe religious sect, Shincheonji Church of Jesus, in Daegu, have been tested positive for Covid-19.

Over 3,000 Shincheonji members refuse to cooperate with authorities

These members, however, have refused to turn themselves in to receive treatment.

Apparently, there are also congregants who refuse diagnostic tests.

More than 1,700 have yet to be tested despite the quarantine order for Shincheonji members being extended by five days, according to YTN News.

Majority of the cases still linked to Shincheonji church

As of March. 9 morning, South Korea reports 248 new cases, bringing the total number to 7,382 cases.

Of these, about 60 per cent are linked to the branch of the Shincheonji church in the city of Daegu, Yonhap News reported.

A total of 51 patients have died from Covid-19 thus far, mostly elderly with pre-existing medical conditions.

While the rate of new cases has been declining over the past few days, South Korea's prime minister Chung Sye-kyun said he is cautiously optimistic about the containment of Covid-19 in the country.

Investigations on Shincheonji church leaders

Earlier in March, several leaders of the Shincheonji Church face a murder probe and police investigations into other violations of the Infectious Disease and Control Act.

The mayor of Seoul, Park Won Son, said that if the church had cooperated, effective preventive measures could have been implemented to save those who had died from the virus.

The leader of the religious sect, 88-year-old Lee Man-hee apologised and kowtowed to the public.

He also vowed to cooperate fully with the government in the containment of Covid-19.

Top photo via Shincheonji Church/ Facebook