Busan City held a press conference on the afternoon of the 23rd at the briefing room on the 9th floor of Busan City Hall to provide a briefing on the occurrence of additional COVID-19 confirmed cases in the Busan area. /Photo by Kim Jonghyo
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Jonghyo] Amid the surge of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Busan, 22 additional confirmed cases have been reported. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Busan to 38, up from 16 the previous day.
On the morning of the 24th, the Busan city government announced that 14 of the 22 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases are linked to Oncheon Church.
The additional confirmed cases related to Oncheon Church include case numbers 19 (29-year-old female, Seo-gu), 21 (18-year-old female, Gangseo-gu), 22 (20-year-old female, Gangseo-gu), 23 (22-year-old male, Saha-gu), 26 (26-year-old male, Haeundae-gu), 30 (27-year-old male, Yeonje-gu), 31 (23-year-old female, Dongnae-gu), 32 (30-year-old female, Dongnae-gu), 33 (20-year-old female, Dongnae-gu), 34 (25-year-old male, Dongnae-gu), 35 (20-year-old female, Dongnae-gu), 36 (28-year-old female, Dongnae-gu), 37 (29-year-old male, Dongnae-gu), and 38 (58-year-old female, Dongnae-gu).
According to epidemiological investigations, Dongnae Oncheon Church, which was included in the movement path of the first confirmed case (19-year-old male, Dongnae-gu), held its own overnight retreat for two days. With about 150 people attending the Oncheon Church retreat, concerns that Oncheon Church could become a 'super-spreader site' are becoming a reality.
There are also suspicions that so-called 'Shincheonji harvesters,' who aim to recruit followers, may have infiltrated the church. However, the city stated that no connection between Oncheon Church and the Shincheonji Church has been confirmed yet.
The city has temporarily closed Dongnae Oncheon Church and is enforcing self-quarantine measures for those who visited the church in the past two weeks. Additionally, 64 facilities related to Shincheonji have been identified and disinfected.
A Busan city official urged, "Citizens who have visited Oncheon Church and are experiencing symptoms should visit screening clinics to get tested."
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