Sporadic Infections Persist in Office-tels, Marts, and Call Centers in the Seoul Metropolitan Area

Citizens are waiting to be tested at the COVID-19 screening clinic set up at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] Infections of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area, including urban officetels, large supermarkets, call centers, pubs, and medical institutions.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters as of 12 PM on the 16th, a total of five people have been confirmed positive in connection with the 'Seongji Heights 3rd Officetel' in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. After the first confirmed case was reported on the 11th, four additional people tested positive. Four are visitors to the officetel, and one is an acquaintance of a visitor.

Regarding Emart Sangbong Branch in Jungnang-gu, after the first confirmed case on the 13th, six more people tested positive during contact tracing. The cumulative number of confirmed cases is seven.

At a call center in Dadong Center Place, Jung-gu, a total of five people have been confirmed positive so far. In Songpa-gu, one additional confirmed case was reported related to 'Jameon Medical Devices,' bringing the total to eight.

In Gyeonggi-do, two people in quarantine tested positive in connection with 'Master Plus Hospital' in Uijeongbu-si, raising the cumulative confirmed cases to 63. In Dongducheon-si, two more cases were identified during contact tracing related to a friend gathering, increasing the total to 27.

In Incheon, the number of confirmed cases related to the casino bar 'KMGM Hold'em Pub Incheon Mansu Branch' in Namdong-gu remained at 13 as of the previous day. The Central Disease Control Headquarters explained, "Analysis of 35 environmental samples from the facility detected the virus on nine shared items, including cards, game tables, chips, air conditioner filters, and restroom door handles."

Outside the metropolitan area, one additional case was reported related to a family holiday gathering in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, bringing the total to 30. In Busan, five more confirmed cases were added related to 'Haetteurak Nursing Hospital,' where a cluster infection of about 50 people occurred, increasing the total to 58.