Jongno-gu Patient No. 56 Shares Some Movement Paths with No. 29... "Connection Under Investigation" (Update)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] On the 20th, the 56th confirmed patient of COVID-19 (born in 1945, Korean male) in Jongno-gu, Seoul, was found to have overlapping movement paths with the 29th patient (born in 1938, Korean male), who was confirmed on the 16th.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated at the regular briefing that day afternoon, "The 56th patient was confirmed to have visited the Jongno Senior Welfare Center around the end of January," and "We are investigating the connection with the 29th patient."

The 56th patient visited the Jongno-gu Public Health Center screening clinic due to pneumonia and was confirmed positive on the 19th, then admitted to Seoul Medical Center. The 29th patient also resided in Jongno-gu, but since there was no history of overseas travel or contact with existing patients, the health authorities are currently conducting an epidemiological investigation tracing back two weeks before the onset. During this investigation, it was confirmed that the patient had visited the Jongno Senior Welfare Center.

Jung Eun-kyung, Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "We narrowed down about 100 contacts of the 29th patient at the Jongno Senior Welfare Center and have been continuously investigating them," and added, "During this process, we confirmed a confirmed patient whose movement path matched that of the 29th patient."

Meanwhile, a man in his 70s (born in 1943), who was confirmed as the 40th patient in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, the previous day, was found to have contacted eight people so far according to the health authorities' investigation.

This patient visited a large mart in Seongdong-gu (E-Mart Seongsu branch) by car around 12:30 PM on the 10th and stayed there for about an hour. From the 11th to the 13th, he stayed at home. On the 14th, he visited a restaurant in Seongdong-gu (Phobos Enter Six Hanyang University branch, 241 Wangsimni-ro) on foot around 5:14 PM and took out food.

On the 15th, he visited a funeral hall in Dongdaemun-gu (Sahmyook Seoul Hospital Funeral Hall, 82 Mangu-ro) by car around 11:30 AM and stayed for about 20 minutes. On the 16th and 17th, he stayed home all day, and on the 18th, he visited a medical institution in Seongdong-gu (Hanyang University Hospital), where he was confirmed positive and transferred to a nationally designated inpatient treatment bed (National Medical Center).