Religious Facility-Related Infections Continue... 1,694 Cumulative Cases in Gwangju

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] COVID-19 confirmed cases are explosively increasing in Gwangju Metropolitan City, mainly centered around religious facilities.

According to Gwangju City on the 28th, as of 2 p.m. on the same day, 11 out of 15 new confirmed cases are related to religious facilities.

Seven cases are related to the large church Gwangju Antioch Church, three cases to the unlicensed educational facility Gwangju TCS International School, and one case to TCS Ace International School.

The cumulative confirmed cases are 117 at Gwangju TCS International School, 39 at TCS Ace International School, and 31 at Gwangju Antioch Church.

Recent COVID-19 infections in the Gwangju area have been found to be mostly deeply connected to religious facilities.

Accordingly, since the 23rd, quarantine authorities have been investigating the status of 11 Christian-related educational facilities and have been sharing related information with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

In the case of Gwangju Antioch Church, following the confirmation of the index patient Gwangju 1516 on the 25th, contact tracing investigations revealed that 30 people, including church members and their families, tested positive. So far, 240 church members have been tested, and 58 are awaiting results.

Gwangju Antioch Church has been ordered to close its facilities and prohibit gatherings until the 7th of next month.

Infections originating from the IM Mission are undergoing comprehensive testing of related unlicensed educational facilities, and the presence of similar facilities in the area is also being identified.

The cumulative confirmed cases in the Gwangju area have reached 1,694.