SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea reported 476 new cases of the coronavirus on Monday, bringing the total number of infections here to 4,212, as the nation provides an "all-out response" to the fast-spreading virus that includes a massive testing program.

So far, 22 people, mostly ones with underlying illnesses, have died in South Korea from the respiratory virus that emerged in China.

About 60 percent of confirmed cases have been linked to a branch of Shincheonji religious sect in the southeastern city of Daegu.

Of the 476 new cases, 377 are in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and 68 are in neighboring North Gyeongsang Province, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

The Monday morning update was based on the number of virus patients tallied at midnight. Previously, a morning update had been based on the number tallied at 9:00 a.m. on the day, but health authorities changed it to help front-line health workers spend more time battling the virus.