Rapid Spread Centered on Foreigners in Gwangju... 27.8% of Confirmed Cases Are Foreigners Since August

272 Local Infections and 27 Overseas Entrants

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] The Infectious Disease Control Support Group of Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 15th that among the 1,076 confirmed cases that occurred in the region from the 1st of last month to the 13th of this month, 299 cases (27.8%) were foreigners.

Among them, 27 were overseas entrants, and the remaining 272 were local infections.

The highest number of confirmed foreign cases occurred in Gwangsan-gu with 256 cases, followed by Buk-gu with 27, Seo-gu with 13, Nam-gu with 2, and Dong-gu with 1. The quarantine authorities explained that this result came about because Gwangsan-gu is basically the area where the largest number of foreigners reside.

The age group most active, those in their 20s and 30s, accounted for 204 cases, the highest number. There were 41 cases in their 40s, 21 in their 50s, 9 in their 60s, 12 in their teens, and 12 under the age of 10.

From early August, foreign confirmed cases occurred in small numbers but showed a pattern of continuous increase without decline. By late August to early September, the spread intensified significantly.

The cluster outbreak related to Turkistan, totaling 98 cases, initially involved confirmed cases linked to a religious facility and showed a pattern of spreading to a logistics center located in Gwangsan-gu. It was later recorded to have spread to three workplaces (including manufacturing). Among the 98 cases, 20 were Koreans.

Regarding workplaces employing foreigners, a total of 75 confirmed cases occurred, mainly centered around nine manufacturing-related workplaces. Among them, 15 were Koreans.

Ryu Soyeon, head of the Gwangju Infectious Disease Control Support Group, said, “It is necessary for employers who hire foreigners to cooperate with epidemiological investigations and to instill the awareness that such cooperation leads to safer and more vibrant living.”