Sudden 'Super Spreader'... Daenam Hospital, Shincheonji, and Common Infection Source: The 'Corona Mystery Three'

Growing Suspicions Surrounding Shincheonji-Cheongdo Daenam Hospital

Guest List Secured but 'Common Infection Source' Still Unclear
210,000 Shincheonji Followers, Only 170 Funeral Visitors 'Questionable'
Abnormal Hospital Structure with Health Center-Hospital Passage and Overcrowding

On the afternoon of the 19th, the Shincheonji Daegu Church in Daemyeong-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu City. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced that patient number 31, the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Daegu, recently visited this church to pray. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Choi Dae-yeol, Kim Heung-soon, Jung Dong-hoon] As the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) surged in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region, suspicions surrounding the connection to the epicenter, 'Shincheonji-Daenam Hospital,' are growing stronger. While the quarantine authorities are conducting epidemiological investigations into this super-spreader event, they are gradually uncovering clues for reasonable suspicion. Nevertheless, unresolved mysteries remain, including the funeral of Lee Man-hee, the chairman of Shincheonji Jesus Church, at Cheongdo Daenam Hospital, and other issues surrounding Shincheonji.

◆Who is the 'common infection source'?＝According to Daenam Hospital on the 26th, Lee, the chairman’s older brother, was hospitalized at the hospital for five days starting from the 27th of last month. He was transferred to the emergency room due to respiratory distress and passed away on the 31st of last month. The cause of death was reported as pneumonia. A funeral was held at Daenam Hospital’s funeral hall until the 2nd of this month. According to Shincheonji, 47 Shincheonji members paid their respects, and the total number of mourners was reported to be around 170. What draws attention is the situation after the funeral. From the 18th to the 25th, 501 COVID-19 cases related to Shincheonji Daegu Church were confirmed. At Daenam Hospital, starting from the 19th, 113 people including psychiatric ward inpatients, medical staff, caregivers, nursing assistants, and patients’ families tested positive. The quarantine authorities believe there is a common infection source between Shincheonji Daegu Church and Daenam Hospital, where a cluster of patients emerged. Jung Eun-kyung, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said, "(Among Daenam Hospital) some workers may be members of Shincheonji Daegu Church, or the funeral may have served as a connecting link."

◆Shincheonji with 210,000 followers... only 170 mourners at the funeral?=The police reportedly received the funeral guest list from Mr. B, the chairman’s nephew and the chief mourner at the time. This list was handed over to the quarantine authorities. The condolence register secured by the police contains about 170 names. Considering that this was the funeral of the chairman’s older brother, who leads a religious group with over 210,000 followers, the number seems too small, raising questions. A funeral service official said, "If the deceased is a well-known figure in the region, the funeral hall is usually crowded," adding, "Even if it was a family funeral, it is too few for only about 170 people to attend a funeral where the chief mourner was the leader of a religious organization with tens of thousands of followers."

It is also noteworthy whether influential figures were included in the list of mourners. Lee Man-hee, the chairman, is known to have close ties with the political world. Political figures have sent congratulatory messages to various Shincheonji religious events. In particular, there are suspicions that during elections, methods such as election campaigning and recruiting followers were used to influence the election of specific candidates.

On the morning of the 24th, medical staff at Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, are transferring a patient to another location. [Image source=Yonhap News]

◆Cheongdo Daenam Hospital mixing public health center, general ward, and psychiatric ward=Cheongdo Daenam Hospital has a unique structure where a psychiatric ward, general ward, nursing hospital, and public health center are all gathered in one place. The county-run Cheongdo Elderly Nursing Hospital, Cheongdo Daenam Hospital, and Cheongdo County Public Health Center, each with different functions, are connected through corridors. Experts are paying attention to the fact that the public health center, a public institution, is connected to the hospital building. Jeong Hyeong-jun, policy committee member of the Health and Medical Organizations Union, pointed out, "There is no case where a public health center is connected to a general hospital, and this is an inappropriate form," adding, "The public health center is responsible not only for vaccinations and treatment but also for licensing and closure of medical institutions, as well as supervision and management of medical personnel, serving as a regulatory and safety management body in the community." The building houses both the supervisory authority and the supervised institution connected by corridors. The Psychiatric Association has stated, "Patients in the psychiatric ward should be transferred to appropriate treatment institutions as soon as possible."

The abnormal overcrowding of the psychiatric ward is also a problem. Hospitals receive approval for the size of funeral halls based on the number of beds. Therefore, many hospitals have expanded their bed capacity, but the psychiatric ward was approved for 130 beds while occupying the same area as the general ward (50 beds). It is highly likely that patients lived in closer proximity than in other wards. During remodeling at the end of 2018, only the ventilation system on the 2nd and 3rd floors, where the general ward is located, was improved, while the ventilation system in the more densely populated psychiatric ward (5th floor) was left untouched, raising further questions.