6th Domestic Omicron Case Confirmed... Couple in Their 40s and Teenage Son

6 out of 9 Suspected Cases Detected... Remaining 3 Also Likely Positive
105 Close Contacts and 276 Under Surveillance

Thanks to 'Taxi Lie,' 30s Acquaintance Attended Gathering of Over 400
Michuhol-gu: "Comprehensive Testing for About 800 Including Previous Worship Attendees"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The sixth domestic case of the Omicron variant has been confirmed.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 2nd, "Among the cohabiting family members of a couple confirmed with Omicron after visiting Nigeria, a confirmed case (teenager) was identified as 'Omicron' through whole genome sequencing analysis." This is the sixth domestic detection following a couple in their 40s who arrived from Nigeria where Omicron was detected (cases 1 and 2), a 30-year-old foreign acquaintance infected by them (case 4), and two women in their 50s who arrived from Nigeria on different days (cases 8 and 9).

In addition, the wife (case 5), mother-in-law (case 6), and another 30-year-old acquaintance (case 7) of case 4 tested positive for COVID-19 on the 30th of last month, but their whole genome sequencing results have not yet been released. However, since case 4 has been confirmed as an Omicron case based on the infection route, it is highly likely that these individuals are also infected with the Omicron variant.

The spread of Omicron is not stopping here and is likely to increase further. Cases 8 and 9 had no significant contacts except for one family member who assisted with their movement on the day of arrival on the 23rd of last month, and since they were admitted to a residential treatment center that afternoon, the risk of further transmission is low.

However, for cases 1 to 7, the COVID-19 test results for seven residents living in the same townhouse as cases 1 to 3 have not yet been received, and the total number of close contacts, including them, reaches 105. The total number of individuals under tracking and management, including passengers on the same flight who entered via Ethiopia from Nigeria, amounts to 276.

In particular, during the epidemiological investigation after the couple in their 40s tested positive on the 25th, the 30-year-old foreign acquaintance concealed the fact that he had helped them return home from the airport, causing a rapid increase in contacts. Although he knew about the couple’s positive diagnosis and underwent a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on the 25th, he tested negative. Afterwards, he freely went to work and met acquaintances. Symptoms appeared only on the 28th, when he took another PCR test and was confirmed positive the next day.

During this period, he roamed freely in the community for six days. If the couple had informed the health authorities about the acquaintance’s assistance, the unvaccinated 30-year-old foreigner would have been classified as a close contact and required to self-quarantine, but he moved and met others without any restrictions.

Moreover, on the 28th, he visited a large church in Incheon and attended a foreign gathering of 411 people. The Michuhol-gu health authorities plan to conduct PCR tests not only on the attendees of that gathering but also on 400 people who attended the worship service held immediately before.