Patient 31 Contacts 166 People in Daegu... Church Contacts Not Included (Update)

Isolation status of additional confirmed cases related to patient No. 31 [Data from the Central Disease Control Headquarters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] A woman in her 60s who was confirmed as the 31st domestic case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Daegu Metropolitan City has been found to have come into contact with a total of 166 people while moving between medical institutions, a church, and a hotel in Daegu from the onset of symptoms until her isolation.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced at a regular briefing on the 19th that the number of contacts of the 31st patient (born in 1959, Korean female) identified so far is as stated. The contacts of this patient are currently under self-quarantine and other measures. The health authorities confirmed that the patient developed chills on the 7th and designated that day as the symptom onset date. According to relevant regulations, the movements and number of contacts were primarily identified from the day before symptom onset, the 6th, until the isolation date on the 17th.

The 31st patient went to a company located in Dong-gu, Daegu, by her own car around 9:30 a.m. on the 6th. On the 7th, she was involved in a minor traffic accident and was hospitalized at a medical institution in Suseong-gu, Daegu (Saerounhanbang Hospital) until the 17th. She came into contact with 128 people there (including 49 medical staff and employees, 32 inpatients, 37 discharged patients, and 10 caregivers). Among them, 32 inpatients were transferred to Daegu Medical Center, and the remaining contacts are under self-quarantine and other measures.

While hospitalized, on the morning of the 9th around 7:30 a.m., she visited a church in Nam-gu, Daegu (Shincheonji Jesus Church of the Testimony of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, Dadaeoh Branch Daegu Church, 81 Daemyeong-ro) by her own car, and returned to the hospital around 9:30 p.m. It was confirmed that she stayed continuously at the hospital from the 10th to the 14th. On the 15th, she took a taxi around 11:50 a.m. to visit a hotel in Dong-gu, Daegu (Queen Bell Hotel, 8th floor), and after lunch, she used a taxi to return to the hospital.

On the 16th, she visited the Shincheonji church again around 7:20 a.m., then took a taxi back to the hospital around 9:20 a.m. On the 17th, around 3:30 p.m., she visited the Suseong-gu Public Health Center by a friend’s car to undergo a COVID-19 diagnostic test. Around 5 p.m., while taking a taxi back to the hospital, she was confirmed positive and moved back to the health center, then around 6 p.m., she was transferred to Daegu Medical Center, a nationally designated inpatient treatment hospital.

However, since the patient attended worship at a church where large numbers of people gather and many confirmed cases have occurred there, the number of contacts and confirmed cases is likely to increase. As of the morning of that day, among the 15 additional confirmed domestic COVID-19 cases, 11 were related to the 31st patient, and 10 of them were identified as attending the same church.

Jung Eun-kyung, director of the KCDC, said, "Some of the church contacts currently have (COVID-19) symptoms, and additional patients may emerge." She added, "We are discussing plans with the special task force and Daegu city to conduct selective and diagnostic testing for the contacts at the church and the entire church community."