23rd Patient from China Visiting Department Store and Mart, Movement History for 10 Days After Arrival in Korea Remains Confidential (Comprehensive)

On the 7th, the Lotte Department Store Main Branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, where a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection visited, will temporarily close until the 9th. Department store staff are posting a closure notice on the door.
Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] A 57-year-old Chinese woman, the 23rd confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) in South Korea, was confirmed to have traveled through a department store in downtown Seoul, Seodaemun-gu, and Mapo-gu after entering the country from Wuhan last month. Since her visit included a crowded shopping center, the number of contacts is expected to surge. The quarantine authorities are currently investigating the patient's visited locations and the exact number of contacts.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) announced at a regular briefing on the 7th that the 23rd patient developed symptoms on the 3rd and visited department stores and large supermarkets from one day before symptom onset until the time of isolation. This patient was subject to a full investigation after entering the country from Wuhan on the 23rd of last month.

◆ Visits to department stores and marts, surge in number of contacts expected= The 23rd patient checked out of a hotel (President Hotel) located in Jung-gu, Seoul, around 12 PM on the 2nd, then traveled by acquaintance’s car to Lotte Department Store in Jung-gu, Seoul, where she stayed for about an hour until 1:19 PM. Afterwards, she moved to accommodation in Seodaemun-gu by the same acquaintance’s car, then visited a large supermarket (E-Mart Mapo Gongdeok branch) in Mapo-gu around 2:20 PM before returning to the accommodation in Seodaemun-gu. It was confirmed that she stayed at the Seodaemun-gu accommodation continuously from the 3rd to the 5th and was transferred to the National Medical Center on the 6th.

However, her movements during the more than ten days between entry and symptom onset have not been specifically disclosed. It is also unknown how many people she contacted during that period. The Central Disease Control Headquarters added, "We are conducting additional investigations regarding the places visited and contacts." Director Jeong Eun-kyung of the KCDC stated, "We only disclose the movements from one day before symptom onset for confirmed patients," and added, "If we were to disclose all movements before symptoms appeared, it would only increase anxiety. We ask for understanding as we only disclose information that helps prevent infectious diseases."

The distribution industry included in this patient’s movement route is on high alert. Lotte Department Store’s main branch and E-Mart Mapo Gongdeok branch have temporarily closed as of this day. Lotte Department Store’s main branch plans to resume operations on the 10th after disinfection work. E-Mart Mapo Gongdeok branch will complete disinfection by the 9th and decide on reopening in consultation with health authorities.

On the 7th, the Lotte Department Store main branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, where a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection was identified, will temporarily close until the 9th. Next to the closure notice, customers wearing masks are leaving the department store. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

◆ 19th patient traveled through Gangnam, Songpa, Songdo; what about other confirmed cases?= The movement route of the 19th confirmed patient (36-year-old male) was also disclosed on this day. He attended a conference in Singapore and traveled between Songpa-gu in Seoul, Bundang-gu in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, Gangnam-gu in Seoul, and Songdo in Incheon, contacting a total of 54 people. On the 31st of last month, he drove to his workplace in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, then visited his parents’ home in Bundang-gu around noon, returning to the office around 1 PM. Around 7 PM, he visited a bakery (Paris Baguette Helio City) in Songpa-gu, Seoul, then stopped by a restaurant (Kyochon Chicken Garak 2nd branch) in Songpa-gu 15 minutes later, returning home around 10 PM.

On the 1st of this month, he visited the bakery (Paris Baguette Helio City) on foot around 9:40 AM, then drove to a hotel (Le Meridien Seoul) in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, for a family gathering around noon, returning home around 3 PM. Around 4 PM, he used his parents’ car to visit a shopping mall (Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo branch), then visited a restaurant (Wongane Kalguksu) in Songpa-gu around 7:30 PM before returning home. On the 2nd, he stayed home all day. On the 3rd, he drove to work in Bundang, visited a restaurant (Tongyeong Byulmi) on foot for lunch, then returned to the office and later drove home. He stayed home all day on the 4th and was confirmed positive on the 5th while in home quarantine, then transferred to Seoul Medical Center.

Additional details were also revealed about the 16th patient (42-year-old female), who traveled to Thailand and other places on a family trip. On the 25th of last month, she visited a supermarket (Uri Mart) in Nam-gu, Gwangju, by car, then visited her parents’ home in Naju, Jeollanam-do, returning home in Gwangju around 8 PM. She stayed home all day on the 26th and visited a medical institution (Gwangju 21st Century Hospital) in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, by car around 9 AM on the 27th due to fever symptoms. She stayed in a single room with her hospitalized daughter at the same hospital, then visited the emergency room of a medical institution (Chonnam National University Hospital) in Dong-gu, Gwangju, around 6 PM, and after emergency treatment, moved by car back to Gwangju 21st Century Hospital around 10 PM. From the 28th to the 2nd of this month, she stayed at Gwangju 21st Century Hospital for her daughter’s care and her own treatment. On the 3rd, after clinical symptoms worsened following treatment at Gwangju 21st Century Hospital, she visited Chonnam National University Hospital in Dong-gu, Gwangju, and was confirmed positive while isolated in a negative pressure room on the 4th.

Her daughter was confirmed as the 18th patient (21-year-old female) on the 5th. Before confirmation, she was hospitalized at Gwangju 21st Century Hospital from the 27th of last month to the 3rd of this month, and after her mother was identified as the 16th confirmed patient, she was isolated in a single room and transferred to Chonnam National University Hospital the next day. The 22nd patient (46-year-old male), a family member of the 16th patient, stayed at home under self-quarantine from the 4th and was confirmed positive, then transferred to Chosun University Hospital on the 6th. Additionally, the 20th patient (41-year-old female), a family member of the 15th patient (43-year-old male), was under self-quarantine from the 2nd, tested positive after visiting the Jangangu Public Health Center in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi Province on the 5th, and was transferred to the Armed Forces Capital Hospital.

Image source=Yonhap News

◆ Increase in contacts and symptomatic individuals, cumulative confirmed cases reach 24= According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, as of 4 PM on this day, the total number of contacts of confirmed novel coronavirus patients in South Korea is 1,386, an increase of 152 from the 1,234 announced the previous morning. The number of people under quarantine measures is 1,083. Among the contacts, nine have been confirmed positive: one contact of patient 3, one contact of patient 5, three contacts of patient 6, one contact of patient 12, one contact of patient 15, and two contacts of patient 16.

On the 6th, one additional confirmed case was reported?a 20-year-old male Wuhan evacuee living in a temporary facility at the Police Human Resources Development Institute in Asan, Chungnam. Including the discharged patients 1 and 2, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in South Korea has risen to 24. However, one of the four patients currently hospitalized in isolation at Seoul National University Hospital is expected to be discharged soon. The total number of symptomatic individuals under investigation is 1,352, of whom 1,001 have been released from quarantine, and 327 are still undergoing testing.

Meanwhile, among foreigners who entered from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, between the 13th and 26th of last month and were subject to full investigation for novel coronavirus management, five remain unreachable. Director Jeong Eun-kyung said, "Yesterday (the 6th), I mentioned that about 29 people were untraceable in the full investigation, but we have identified and taken action on four of them." She added, "For the remaining 25, about 20 have passed the 14-day incubation period, and we will cooperate with the police to track their status. Five are still under ongoing investigation."

The government is conducting a full investigation of people who entered from Wuhan to prevent community spread of the novel coronavirus infection. The subjects include 1,160 Koreans and 1,831 foreigners, totaling 2,991 people. Among them, excluding those who have passed the maximum 14-day incubation period or have left the country, health authorities have been monitoring 271 individuals.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.