Health Authorities: "Duration of Infectious Person's Presence More Important Than Contact Time"
Possibility of Airborne Transmission of Viruses Other Than Omicron in '3M (Close Contact, Crowded, Enclosed) Environments'
On the morning of the 3rd, a monitor installed at the screening clinic of Buk-gu Public Health Center in Gwangju displays information expressing concerns about the spread of the Omicron variant. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] Regarding a case where a restaurant owner was infected with Omicron despite facing a confirmed patient for about one minute while wearing a mask, quarantine authorities stated, "It is more important how long the primary infected person stayed than the contact time," and added, "We will investigate and respond while keeping open the possibility that the transmissibility may be higher than the Delta variant."
According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) on the 7th, Ms. A, a woman in her 30s who runs a restaurant in Incheon, was confirmed positive for Omicron on the 3rd after contact with the 6th Omicron patient on the 29th of last month.
Epidemiological investigation revealed that Ms. A only had about one minute of contact while serving food and processing payment to the primary infected customer (the 6th patient), and she was continuously wearing a mask.
Regarding this, Park Youngjun, head of the epidemiological investigation team at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) Central Disease Control Headquarters, explained, "The restaurant owner and the customer are considered the primary infected persons, and then the worker was infected. Practically, it is more important how long the primary infected person stayed in the space than the time of contact," adding, "We believe it is possible in a closed space."
He continued, "There have been no other transmissions through multi-use facilities except for these two cases at this restaurant. It is difficult to compare the transmissibility of Omicron with existing variant viruses," but added, "Based on these cases, we are investigating and responding while keeping open the possibility that the transmissibility may be higher than Delta."
Meanwhile, quarantine authorities stated that regarding the possibility of airborne transmission of the Omicron variant, any virus can be transmitted through the air in a '3-mil' environment. The '3-mil' environment refers to close contact, crowded, and enclosed spaces.
Team leader Park said, "It is already known that the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted through the air under certain conditions," and added, "Not only Omicron but also Delta and Alpha variants can spread beyond droplet transmission range in '3-mil' environments."
He further explained, "Several airborne transmission cases have been reported in Korea as well," citing examples such as infections of people in adjacent rooms at karaoke rooms or infections at churches without direct contact.
He added, "In this Omicron case as well, if direct contact is not confirmed, we can consider the possibility of such (airborne) transmission," and said, "Although definitive evidence has not yet been established domestically, we are investigating while keeping open the possibility of airborne transmission."
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