Omicron-Confirmed Couple Lied... "Considering Legal Action"

On the 2nd, citizens are waiting for testing at the screening clinic of Seoul Metropolitan Seobuk Hospital in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] It has been revealed that the pastor couple, the first confirmed domestic cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, gave false statements during the epidemiological investigation. Authorities are considering filing charges for violations of infectious disease laws.

According to Michuhol-gu and Yeonsu-gu in Incheon on the 2nd, the pastor couple in their 40s, Mr. A and his wife, who were confirmed positive for the Omicron variant on the 25th of last month, initially stated during the epidemiological investigation that "they took a quarantine taxi from the airport to their home."

However, it was found that Mr. B, a man in his 30s known to them, drove them to their home. As a result, Mr. B was not classified as a close contact.

Mr. B tested negative in the first test after hearing the news of Mr. A couple's confirmation and lived his daily life without quarantine measures. However, after showing suspicious symptoms such as fever, he took a second test and was confirmed positive, leading to his isolation.

It was confirmed that Mr. B roamed around restaurants, marts, dental clinics, and other places near his residence in Yeonsu-gu for six days without any quarantine measures after contact with Mr. A couple. During this period, 87 people were identified as contacts and underwent COVID-19 testing. Among them, 11 were classified as close contacts.

Additionally, it was revealed that Mr. B's family attended a foreigner-targeted program at a large church in Michuhol-gu on the 28th of last month. This program was attended by 411 foreigners of Central Asian nationality on that day. A worship service held at a different time was attended by 400 congregants.

Michuhol-gu plans to send Korean and foreign language guidance text messages to these 811 congregants, urging them to undergo COVID-19 testing.

Michuhol-gu is considering filing charges against Mr. A couple with the police for violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act. A quarantine authority official said, "Because Mr. A couple gave false statements, Mr. B was not classified as their close contact," and added, "We are considering filing charges for violations related to infectious disease laws."