96% of Regional Cluster Outbreaks Concentrated in the Capital Area... "Rapid Infection Spread Feared Without Social Distancing" (Update)

On the 4th, medical staff are busy moving around at the 'Seoul Namsan Living Treatment Center' for managing mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, set up at the Seoul Youth Hostel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] As of noon on the 4th, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases related to pioneering churches in the Seoul metropolitan area has increased to 66, up 11 from the previous day. Among them, 30 patients attended a revival meeting where the source of infection was presumed to have been exposed in a group setting. Thirty-three are acquaintances such as family members or church members who came into contact with those who attended the meeting, representing secondary transmission cases. The remaining three are under investigation for their infection routes.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for COVID-19, cluster infections related to churches, including pioneering churches, and subsequent transmissions are continuing in various places. Regarding the pastors' meeting in Gunpo and Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, three additional patients were confirmed, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18. In this cluster, six people attended the meeting, but the number of secondary and subsequent transmissions among family members, church members, and coworkers is 12, which is higher. In the Korea Campus Crusade for Christ cluster, one additional confirmed case was reported?a Seoul Gangnam-gu Jesus Disciples Church evangelist who was under self-quarantine as a contact?bringing the total to 11.

In relation to the KB Life Insurance telemarketing office in Jung-gu, Seoul, one person under self-quarantine was confirmed positive, increasing the total number of cases to 12. One additional confirmed case was also reported in a cluster classified as family-related in Seocho-gu. The cluster of employees at the AXA Insurance call center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, also increased to six confirmed cases.

Regarding Richway, a multi-level marketing company known in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, after the first confirmed case on the 2nd, nine more cases were confirmed by noon on the same day, bringing the total to 10. Tests are being conducted on company employees and visitors. Since many in this cluster are elderly people aged 50 and above, health authorities are concerned about potential casualties.

As the number of infected clusters in the metropolitan area increases, and cases with unclear initial infection routes become more frequent, the situation is moving toward what health authorities had feared. According to the authorities, 364 cases, accounting for 72%, were from local cluster outbreaks in the past two weeks. Additionally, 45 cases, or 9%, have unknown infection routes. Considering that one of the criteria for maintaining the daily quarantine system is to keep unknown infection routes within 5%, this standard has not been met for several weeks.

Furthermore, 350 cases, or 96% of local cluster outbreaks, occurred in the metropolitan area. Due to the high population density and frequent movement in the metropolitan area, there is a possibility of a large-scale outbreak at any time. Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a briefing that "If social distancing or contact management loosens at the current level, there is a high risk of rapid spread of infection," adding, "It is difficult to control the situation with epidemiological investigations and contact management alone; social distancing must be implemented together for control to be possible."