Seoul Gangnam Designated as 'High-Risk Area'... "Cluster Outbreaks in Densely Packed Officetel Areas" (Update)

On the morning of the 21st, the Gangnam-gu Public Health Center's COVID-19 screening clinic was crowded with citizens waiting for tests. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Seoul's Gangnam district, densely populated with officetels and high-rise office areas, has been identified as a high-risk area for COVID-19 cluster infections within the metropolitan area.

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, explained at the COVID-19 regular briefing held on the 21st at the Osong Disease Control Headquarters in Chungbuk, "Gangnam has a significant number of officetels, and many visiting sales, multi-level marketing, and investment briefings have taken place in these officetels," adding, "These are being reported as cluster outbreaks."

She continued, "There is a need to strengthen testing and quarantine capabilities in the area," and added, "We are currently consulting with local governments on how to proceed."

In fact, cluster infections have continued to occur in Gangnam. At the Daewoo Audi Ville Plus officetel in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, where the first COVID-19 case was reported on the 5th, the cumulative number of related confirmed cases increased to 24 by the 21st.

Notably, the building houses many offices, and the locations of confirmed cases varied by business, which reportedly caused delays in epidemiological investigations by health authorities.

A telemarketing company located near the building also experienced a cluster infection involving 13 people. Since the beginning of this month, there have been four cluster infections in the Gangnam area, with the cumulative number of confirmed cases reaching 100.