13 Confirmed Cases Related to Busanjin-gu Choyeon Music Room on 28th, Total 78 Cases Over 8 Days
27 Visitors to Practice Room, 51 Contacts, Fear of Nth Generation Infection Spread
On November 26, as the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases increased over several days, the Jinyu Freedom Market in Jinju, Gyeongnam, appeared quiet. [Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A confirmed case originating from a music room in Busan is spreading rapidly. On the 28th, 13 related confirmed cases were added in one day, bringing the total to 78 in eight days.
According to Busan health authorities on the 28th, among the 25 confirmed cases that day, 13 are presumed to have been transmitted through the Choyeon Music Room in Busanjin-gu, where 65 related infections had been reported until the previous day.
All infections related to the Choyeon Music Room were classified as contacts of existing confirmed cases.
The n-th generation infections are rapidly spreading in the order of music room visitors, primary contacts, and secondary to tertiary contacts.
It is presumed that they were infected through contact with music room-related confirmed cases in everyday spaces such as hair salons, exercise facilities, restaurants, and workplaces.
As of the afternoon of the 28th, the number of infections related to the Choyeon Music Room in the Busan area has increased to 78, including 27 visitors to the music room and 51 contact confirmed cases.
Since the first confirmed case on the 21st, 4 cases were reported on the 23rd, 14 on the 24th, 19 on the 25th, 14 on the 26th, 13 on the 27th, and 13 on the 28th.
Health authorities believe that infection occurred as saliva was transmitted during intense movements with percussion instruments such as the janggu in a confined space.
It is presumed that the infection intensity increased due to strong splashing of saliva through vocal interjections during the instrument performance process.
In Busan, where the infection rate had been limited to single digits for a long time, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases has continued in double digits for five consecutive days since 18 cases were reported on the 24th: 25 on the 25th, 22 on the 26th, 26 on the 27th, and 25 on the 28th, putting the entire city of Busan on high alert due to fears of re-spread.
Busan health authorities announced that after testing 1,147 people the previous day, 25 people (numbers 728 to 752) were confirmed positive on the 28th.
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