Dongjak-gu Reports 2 Additional COVID-19 Cases (Manmin Central Church)

Two Cases Among Staff and Cohabitants of Manmin Central Church... Total of 4 Confirmed Cases Related to Manmin Central Church... Emergency Closure of Prayer Room and Attached Facilities, All Residents and Workers Undergo Testing

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) has launched an all-out response to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community following the confirmation of 2 additional cases related to Manmin Central Church on the 29th.

The 20th confirmed case in Dongjak-gu, a resident of Sindaebang-dong (female in her 40s), who tested positive on the 29th, is an employee working at Manmin Central Church in Guro-gu. She showed symptoms such as fever, cough, sputum, and sore throat from the 26th, and the infection route is presumed to be contact with a confirmed patient from Manmin Central Church.

The 21st confirmed case (female in her 60s) is a cohabitant of the 20th confirmed case in Dongjak-gu, living together in Sindaebang-dong, and showed symptoms of sore throat and migraine from the 27th.

Both confirmed patients were tested at the Guro-gu Public Health Center on the 28th and confirmed positive on the 29th. There are two cohabitants; one tested negative and the other is scheduled for testing.

Since the 25th, a total of 4 confirmed cases in Dongjak-gu related to Manmin Central Church and 5 cases including movement paths of confirmed patients from other regions have occurred.

The 4 confirmed cases in Dongjak-gu include the 20th and 21st patients confirmed today, and the pastor (17th) and employee (19th) of Manmin Central Church in Guro-gu confirmed on the 28th.

Confirmed patients from other regions included in Dongjak-gu’s movement paths are three workers at the management office of the pastor’s residence and the building where church members reside in Sindaebang-dong, Dongjak-gu (Geumcheon-gu cases 6th and 8th, Yeongdeungpo-gu case 21st), and an employee of Manmin Central Church (Guro-gu case 28th).

Accordingly, to block the community transmission of COVID-19 related to Manmin Central Church, on the 26th, the entire buildings including the pastor’s residence, church member residential buildings, and the management office located in Sindaebang-dong were disinfected, and the prayer room in the basement of the residence was temporarily closed. Tests were conducted on all 20 residents of the buildings, with 19 testing negative and 1 testing positive (Dongjak 17th).

Additionally, the Union Holiness Theological Seminary, an affiliated facility of Manmin Central Church located in Sindaebang-dong, was disinfected on the 28th and urgently closed according to the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act. Comprehensive specimen tests were conducted on 18 workers (residing in other regions), and all tested negative on the 29th.

Going forward, cooperation with the police will continue to monitor the entry of church-related personnel, including employees, to the Union Holiness Theological Seminary on-site.

The district will promote disinfection of the area around the buildings and throughout the district, including subway stations, parks, and other multi-use facilities and passageways, centered on the local quarantine headquarters.

Furthermore, supervision and guidance of weekend on-site worship services at all churches in the area are being conducted. On-site, the focus is on confirming ▲facility disinfection ▲mask-wearing ▲social distancing practices, and continuous requests to refrain from worship services are being urged.

Lee Chang-woo, Mayor of Dongjak-gu, said, “We will do our utmost to block the spread of COVID-19 related to Manmin Central Church within the region to protect the lives and safety of residents,” and added, “We ask residents to refrain from visiting crowded places such as gatherings and events and to do their best to practice strict social distancing.”