[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Three members of the Korea Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC), a Protestant campus missionary organization, and a church pastor who had contact with one of them have been consecutively confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
According to health authorities on the 30th, there have been six confirmed cases related so far. The first confirmed patient among the related cases is a 28-year-old male CCC member (Gangbuk-gu case number 14). The patient showed initial symptoms in the early morning of the 26th, and the route of infection is currently under investigation by the health authorities.
This patient spent several hours at the CCC in Buam-dong, Jongno-gu on the 24th and 25th, and traveled from his home to another location by church vehicle on the 25th and early morning of the 26th.
When he visited the CCC, he ate with some colleagues at the on-site cafeteria, and it was also found that he met friends at a nearby pork cutlet restaurant and a dessert cafe near the CCC.
On the 29th, a 26-year-old woman living in Sinyeong-dong (Jongno-gu case number 19), who had contact with Gangbuk-gu case number 14, tested positive. Also confirmed were a 27-year-old man living in Yeokchon-dong (Eunpyeong-gu case number 35), who had meals with CCC member friends including Gangbuk-gu case number 14 near the CCC, and a 36-year-old male pastor of a church located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, attended by Gangbuk-gu case number 14 (Goyang-si case number 47).
Health authorities classified Goyang-si case number 47 as a contact of Gangbuk-gu case number 14, but the infection route is still unclear and under investigation. On the same day, a 29-year-old man living in Taepyeong 1-dong, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si (Seongnam-si case number 132), and a woman in her 30s living in Gonghang-dong (Gangseo-gu case number 45) were additionally confirmed positive. They are contacts of Gangbuk-gu case number 14 and Goyang-si case number 47, respectively.
Seongnam-si case number 132 had contact with Gangbuk-gu case number 14 at the CCC in Buam-dong on the 25th and began showing symptoms from the 28th. The patient, who is a CCC staff member, was living with four university students in one house. Health authorities are currently collecting specimens from the cohabiting students and conducting COVID-19 tests. Gangseo-gu case number 45 is presumed by health authorities to have been infected through contact with Goyang-si case number 47 at a church in Gangnam-gu on the 27th.
The CCC, where three members were confirmed positive, decided to close the four buildings in Buam-dong for disinfection and will remain closed until next week.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
