In a Sealed Space of About 20 Pyeong, Only One Out of 27 People Remained Uninfected: The Secret of the Non-Confirmed Case

Group Infection Occurs at Daegu Dongchunghacho Briefing Session
Only One Person Wearing KF94 Mask Throughout the Session Tested Negative
"I Feel Like I Survived Thanks to Obsession with Masks and Hand Sanitizer"

On the 3rd, 15 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) were reported at the Dongchunghacho business briefing hall on Chilseongnam-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Among the 27 participants of the 'Dongchunghacho Briefing Session' held in Buk-gu, Daegu, 26 were confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), with the only uninfected person confirmed to have been wearing a KF94 mask at the time.

According to Daegu City on the 15th, the Dongchunghacho briefing session was held on the basement first floor of a building in Buk-gu on the 29th of last month. On that day, 27 residents aged between 50 and 80 from five cities and provinces including Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Chungbuk, and Gyeongnam gathered.

The venue was a sealed space of about 20 pyeong (approximately 66 square meters), and the briefing lasted nearly three hours. According to the city, most attendees were wearing masks when entering the building, but many reportedly took off their masks during the session. This meant the virus had accumulated in the air for a certain period.

Five days after the briefing, on the 3rd, the first COVID-19 case related to the session was reported. Subsequently, the city conducted specimen tests on 146 close contacts related to the meeting, and it was found that 26 out of the 27 attendees tested positive.

The only attendee who tested negative, Mr. A, reportedly did not remove his mask throughout the briefing. In an interview with a media outlet on the 14th, he explained that he used hand sanitizer upon entering the session and did not even drink coffee during breaks.

Mr. A said, "I believe I survived thanks to my obsession with masks and hand sanitizer." He completed his self-quarantine on the 12th.