Golf Courses Are Not Safe Zones... 2 Infected After Playing with Confirmed Case

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] A case of COVID-19 transmission at a golf course has been confirmed for the first time.

On the 4th, Yeoju City announced that a 68-year-old man residing in Ohhak-dong tested positive for COVID-19 on the night of the 3rd. A 68-year-old man living in Jeongja 1-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam City, who is an acquaintance of this man, was also confirmed positive on the 2nd.

Earlier, it was investigated that they played golf together with patient No. 50 from Uijeongbu (confirmed on the 1st) at a golf course in Gwangju City on the 25th of last month and were placed under self-quarantine. During quarantine, they showed symptoms such as fever and sore throat and underwent COVID-19 tests at the Yeoju Public Health Center and Bundang-gu Public Health Center screening clinics, respectively.

This is the first time COVID-19 transmission has been confirmed at a golf course. Besides the two confirmed cases in Seongnam and Yeoju, all 11 colleagues who played rounds with patient No. 50 from Uijeongbu are under self-quarantine.

Ten golf course employees and customers have also been classified as close contacts and are under self-quarantine.

A Yeoju City official stated, "The confirmed man residing in Ohhak-dong testified that he met patient No. 50 from Uijeongbu at the golf course, shook hands, and had lunch together," adding, "It was investigated that they did not share a vehicle."

A Gwangju City official said, "Patient No. 50 from Uijeongbu and his colleagues stayed at a golf course in the Gwangju area from 7 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. on the 25th of last month," and added, "The golf course had completed disinfection two days prior and had resumed operations."

An official from the golf course said, "A group of 14 people, including patient No. 50 from Uijeongbu, formed four teams and played golf. Five caddies and two clubhouse employees who had contact with them were self-quarantined, and all tested negative for COVID-19," adding, "The caddies were wearing masks, and the clubhouse employees are known to have briefly removed masks during breaks."

Patient No. 50 from Uijeongbu was found to have attended the same gym as a resident in their 30s from the Jangam Jugong 7 Complex Apartment in Uijeongbu, where a cluster of COVID-19 cases occurred (confirmed on the 29th of last month). Health authorities are estimating a chain infection sequence of 'Jangam Jugong 7 Complex → gym → golf course.'

Meanwhile, this is the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Yeoju City. Among the 31 cities and counties in Gyeonggi Province, Yeoncheon County is the only area with no confirmed COVID-19 cases.