Mid-August Seoul Downtown Rally Cluster Outbreak with 585 Cumulative Cases
Transmission Through Close Contact and Crowding at Rally → Re-spread in Local Community
Sarang Jeil Church Also Reports Cases for Over a Month... Many Untested Individuals
On the afternoon of the 15th of last month, a rally condemning corruption in the Moon Jae-in administration, abuse of power by Choo Mi-ae, and sexual harassment by Democratic Party local government heads was held in front of Donghwa Duty Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul, hosted by Sarangjeil Church and the Liberty Solidarity.[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] As of the 16th, the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) related to the downtown Seoul rally held on the 15th of last month has risen to 585, an increase of 4 from the previous day. A significant number of infections occurred not only among those who directly participated in the rally but also through additional transmissions among family members and workplaces. Among them, 273 were infected in Seoul and the metropolitan area, and 312 in non-metropolitan areas.
According to data released by the Central Disease Control Headquarters as of 12 noon on the same day, 216 people were directly involved, such as attending the rally, and 321 were infected through additional transmissions. Eight police officers who were either at the rally site or infected through additional transmissions tested positive. The infection routes of the remaining 40 people are under investigation.
The health authorities estimate that many transmissions occurred due to close and dense contact as people gathered from all over the country at the rally site last month. After returning to their respective regions, additional transmissions have occurred among family, workplaces, and acquaintances. The cluster infection at Sarang Jeil Church, where the first patient was confirmed on the 12th of last month, also continued to spread in a chain reaction, with additional patients reported even on the 14th, more than a month later. As of the 12th, about 5,400 people related to the downtown rally and about 900 related to Sarang Jeil Church had not undergone diagnostic testing, making tracking and management difficult, which is also considered a contributing factor.
Other cluster outbreaks also saw additional cases. Seven more people tested positive related to K Health Industry in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, bringing the total to 21. One additional case each was reported related to the cluster outbreaks at Woori Church in Songpa-gu and a cosmetics sales shop in Gwanak-gu, increasing the totals to 11 and 7, respectively. Two more contacts were infected related to the Park Ae-won mental care facility in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, raising the total to 3.
The metropolitan area mountain hiking club also saw the cumulative number of cases rise to 47, as additional transmissions occurred among family and acquaintances despite some not attending the meetings directly. Two more family members of residents at a daytime care center in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, tested positive, increasing the total to 20. The cumulative number of cases related to the wild ginseng business briefing in Chilgok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, reached 21. It is presumed that attendees returned home and held small gatherings, causing additional infections. The cluster infection at Dongiksan Marriage Counseling Center in Iksan-si, Jeonbuk Province, also increased to 5 cases.
Among the 2,055 new confirmed cases in the past two weeks, 522 cases, or 25.4%, had unknown infection routes. This is the highest proportion since related statistics began to be compiled. The continuous occurrence of cases with unclear infection routes suggests a high possibility of widespread transmission at the community level. This has made frontline epidemiological investigations and other quarantine tasks more challenging.
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