US Also 'Ori-muju'ng' COVID-19 Cases Emerge... "The World at a Pandemic Crossroads"

U.S. President Donald Trump (center) is holding a press conference with the COVID-19 task force in the White House briefing room on the 26th (local time).

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Daeyeol] Over the past week, the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in South Korea has surged rapidly, while sporadic outbreaks have also been confirmed in the United States, Europe, and other regions, increasing the likelihood of scattered epidemics. As the number of patients with unclear infection routes or unknown sources of infection rises, international organizations have also issued warnings.

Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters for COVID-19 and Director of the Korea National Institute of Health, said at a briefing on the 28th, "The fact that cases without identifiable epidemiological links have begun to appear in California, USA, means that each country is at a crossroads whether to enter a nationwide epidemic or not," adding, "The World Health Organization (WHO) is also paying close attention and issuing warnings about this."

As of 9 a.m. on the same day, the number of confirmed cases in South Korea exceeded 2,000, while in Italy, the number rose to 400 as of the previous day. Among the Italian patients, only 124 are presumed to have identifiable sources of infection. The rest are still under investigation. In Iran, where 141 confirmed cases have been reported, there are no patients from China or other countries with COVID-19 cases, while 28 cases are due to domestic infections, and the remaining 113 cases have unclear sources. In Japan and Thailand, 18 and 10 cases respectively have unknown sources of infection.

Regarding the rapid increase in domestic cases within a short period, the health authorities pointed out that since the main cause is a cluster outbreak within specific groups such as the Shincheonji Daegu Church, a meticulous approach is necessary when analyzing the epidemic pattern. Deputy Director Kwon said, "In South Korea, the cluster effect among specific groups, namely Shincheonji Church members, is significant, which could distort the overall pattern of COVID-19 outbreaks."

He noted that it is difficult to predict how many cases will increase in the future based on the trend of confirmed cases so far. However, he added that pandemic, or the possibility of a global widespread outbreak, is being considered, and health authorities worldwide are responding accordingly. Deputy Director Kwon said, "All health authorities worldwide, including the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are mentally prepared for a pandemic and are planning countermeasures with the question 'What if it happens?'" He continued, "Whether it becomes a pandemic and what kind of epidemic it will be depends on various complex factors that will determine the scale, direction, and duration."

He also said, "It is hopeful that the entire population is alert and practicing thorough personal hygiene," adding, "These efforts can change the overall scale and direction of the epidemic."