“Jeju Guesthouse COVID-19 Infection Source Likely Guest (No. 38), Not Operator (No. 36)” Raised

Head of Jeju Infectious Disease Control Support Team Proposes New Hypothesis Based on Epidemiological Investigation Results
If Visitor No. 38, Who Moved Indiscriminately Across 21 Locations, Is the Infection Source, Transmission Spread Is High

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Government Complex

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Jeju Island Reporter] It has been suggested that the cluster infection outbreak originating from a Jeju guesthouse was likely spread by a user (case 38) rather than the operator (case 36) who had a history of visiting the Seoul metropolitan area.

On the 30th, Bae Jong-myeon, head of the Jeju Infectious Disease Management Support Group, stated at a joint briefing, "New findings have emerged from the epidemiological investigation of Jeju case 38, and the hypothesis has shifted to case 38 having transmitted the virus to case 36."

Initially, Jeju authorities believed that case 36, the operator of the Rooftop Garden Guesthouse located in Namwon-eup, Seogwipo City, who visited the Seoul metropolitan area on the 24th and 25th and developed symptoms starting on the 26th, was likely infected with COVID-19 during that visit. Subsequently, among those associated with this guesthouse, case 37, an employee, and case 38, a user, were confirmed positive.

However, after conducting an epidemiological investigation on case 38, identified as Mr. A, a trainee at the Ramada Encore by Wyndham Seogwipo East Hotel located in Seoho-dong, Seogwipo City, new facts emerged. Mr. A had already exhibited symptoms such as phlegm and headaches starting from the 22nd, four days before case 36’s symptoms appeared, and attended evening parties at the Rooftop Garden Guesthouse on both the 22nd and 23rd.

Moreover, it was revealed that from the 19th to the 24th, while staying at another guesthouse called Jeongwon Chaekbang in Namwon-eup, Mr. A indiscriminately visited 21 locations including the Rooftop Garden Guesthouse evening parties, restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores nearby. Additionally, from the 24th to the 28th, he stayed in employee accommodations within the hotel and worked daily at the hotel from the 25th to the 27th, raising concerns about the emergence of another secondary infection case.

Director Bae Jong-myeon urged, "If case 36 was infected by case 38, there is a higher possibility that new patients may emerge among those who stayed at the guesthouse during that period. We ask all guesthouse users to actively get tested regardless of symptoms."