Cluster Outbreak of Door-to-Door Sales in Gwangju, 4 out of 5 Cases Are Secondary Infections... "Elderly Should Refrain"

COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Regular Briefing
Gwangju Direct Sales, Spread up to 5th Transmission... 80% Are Additional Infections

COVID-19 Transmission Map Related to Door-to-Door Sales in Gwangju. Transmission within families is not shown.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] In the cluster outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) related to door-to-door sales meetings in Gwangju, it has been found that more than 80% of the infected patients were infected without directly participating in the meetings.

According to the transmission map related to the Gwangju door-to-door sales analyzed by the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 15th, a total of 141 people have been confirmed positive since the first patient was identified on the 27th of last month. Initially, the first patient was confirmed at Gwangneungsa Temple in Gwangju, but epidemiological investigations later revealed that the infection occurred through a door-to-door sales meeting held before visiting the temple. The infection had previously spread from a cluster related to door-to-door sales companies in the Daejeon area.

The cluster infection related to door-to-door sales in Gwangju caused multiple small-scale cluster infections within the region. Additional infections occurred in numerous churches and nursing homes, as well as mobile phone stores, academies, travel groups, fitness facilities, workplaces, and saunas. Transmission continued up to the fifth generation. While 27 people were infected after attending the initial door-to-door sales meeting, 114 patients (81%) were infected through subsequent transmissions. About 72% (101 people) are aged 50 or older. No deaths have been reported in this cluster yet, but there are 5 severe or critical patients.

At a briefing on the same day, Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said, "It is understood that COVID-19 spread occurred because people stayed for a long time in enclosed spaces such as promotional centers or experience centers without wearing masks or wearing them improperly, and frequently gathered in small groups for information sharing." He added, "We ask the elderly and middle-aged not to attend door-to-door sales business briefings or promotional events and to cancel or postpone unnecessary small gatherings."

On the 14th, protective workwear for the prevention of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) was exhibited at the '2020 Hotel Show' held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The exhibition will continue until the 16th. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Five People Each Infected in Seoul Hanwha Life and Daejeon Construction Site Clusters
Large Number of Confirmed Cases After Arrival of Korean Nationals from Iraq

Infections continue to spread steadily even in small clusters. As of noon on the day, one additional visitor was confirmed positive in the office cluster in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, increasing the cumulative number of patients to 9. In the Victoria Building in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, one more acquaintance was confirmed positive, bringing the total confirmed cases to 9. At a Hanwha Life branch in Seoul, after the first patient was identified on the 11th, 4 more were found. At a construction site in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, after the first patient was confirmed on the 7th, additional patients were found, increasing the total to 5.

Among the imported cases confirmed the previous day, many were Korean nationals who had been working in Iraq and returned to the country. As of midnight on the day, there were 28 imported cases, with 14 related to Iraq. Additionally, there were 3 cases each from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, 2 each from the Philippines, Russia, and Albania, and 1 each from Pakistan and the United States. Among the 28, 21 are Korean nationals and the remaining 7 are foreigners.

Meanwhile, health authorities stated that they are making efforts to prevent the domestic inflow of various infectious diseases occurring simultaneously in overseas regions, in addition to COVID-19. This year, 61 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) have occurred in the Middle East, with 19 deaths. Ebola virus has spread in Congo, infecting 41 people. Plague has occurred in China and Mongolia, and diphtheria in Vietnam. These infectious diseases have high fatality rates or pose a high risk of cluster outbreaks, requiring a high level of isolation.