Five Omicron Cases Confirmed Domestically... Two Additional Cases in Their 50s in Gyeonggi-do Besides the Incheon Couple (Update)

On the 30th, amid ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 Omicron variant, overseas arrivals are waiting at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The first domestic case of infection with the new COVID-19 variant, the 'Omicron variant,' has been confirmed in South Korea. In particular, in addition to a couple in their 40s living in Incheon who arrived from Nigeria, their acquaintance, and cohabiting family members, two women in their 50s living in Gyeonggi Province who arrived from Nigeria on a different flight were also confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant, raising concerns about the possibility of domestic spread.

According to the quarantine authorities on the 1st, whole genome sequencing tests to confirm the variant revealed that a total of five people were infected with the Omicron variant: the couple in their 40s who were previously classified as suspected Omicron cases, one male acquaintance in his 30s, and two other confirmed cases who arrived from overseas. Initially, the acquaintance who was confirmed as infected was thought to be in their 40s, but was later confirmed to be in their 30s.

Among the confirmed cases, the couple in their 40s visited Nigeria from the 14th to the 23rd of last month, returned on the 24th, and were tested at their local health center on the day of arrival, receiving a positive COVID-19 diagnosis on the 25th. Subsequently, one acquaintance and one teenage child living with them were additionally confirmed positive. The couple had completed the Moderna vaccination and were exempt from quarantine, so they were not placed in facility isolation.

Through contact tracing and management of cases confirmed to have the Omicron variant, two family members (wife and mother-in-law) of the 30s acquaintance and one other 30s acquaintance were additionally confirmed positive, and whole genome sequencing analysis is underway for these three individuals.

So far, among passengers on the same flight used by the Incheon couple, one additional confirmed case was found to be infected with the Delta variant based on variant analysis, and testing is ongoing for eight residents living in the same communal facility as the Incheon couple.

The quarantine authorities, analyzing the Omicron variant among overseas confirmed cases other than the Incheon couple, additionally confirmed two more Omicron cases on this day and have begun contact tracing and management.

The two women in their 50s, who are acquaintances, visited Nigeria from the 13th to the 22nd of last month, arrived on the 23rd, and were diagnosed positive the following day. Both were unvaccinated and under self-quarantine; after testing positive on the 24th, they are currently receiving home treatment. No unusual symptoms have been reported so far.