COVID-19 Reinvades Gwangju... Shincheonji Members Who Went to Daegu Confirmed Positive

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] The Gwangju area, which had breathed a sigh of relief after two confirmed patients were declared recovered, has been engulfed in a 'second wave of fear.' Shincheonji Church members who attended a Daegu service were classified as confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) overnight, intensifying citizens' anxiety.

According to health authorities on the 21st, resident A (31) of Dong-gu, Gwangju, was classified as a confirmed COVID-19 patient that morning and was transferred to the nationally designated inpatient treatment ward (negative pressure bed) at Chosun University Hospital. He is a church member who attended the Shincheonji Daegu Church on the 16th and rode in the car of a 30-year-old resident of Seo-gu who was transferred to Jeonnam National University Hospital the previous night.

In early this month, the 16th and 18th confirmed domestic COVID-19 cases were consecutively identified in Gwangju, leading to quarantine, business suspensions, and closures throughout the city. However, recently, as these patients were declared recovered and no additional confirmed cases occurred for about two weeks, evaluations suggested the situation had stabilized. Just as the community seemed to be calming down, a second nightmare arrived without giving any breathing room. The 20th, when the Seo-gu Shincheonji member was confirmed positive, was the day all citizen quarantines related to the 16th and 18th confirmed cases ended.

What is more concerning is that the Shincheonji members who tested positive are community-infected cases, unlike the 16th confirmed patient, who had overseas travel history, and his daughter, the 18th confirmed patient. It is reported that before being confirmed positive, the Seo-gu church member held separate Bible study sessions with members living in five districts in Gwangju and also visited Hwasun in Jeonnam.

A citizen residing in Dong-gu, Gwangju, expressed concern, saying, "I thought COVID-19 was calming down, but it has broken out again," and added, "There is great anxiety about where and with whom the confirmed patients have had contact." Another citizen from Jeonnam said, "Upon hearing that the confirmed Shincheonji members visited Hwasun, I called my parents in my hometown to advise them to refrain from going out," adding, "I think I will have to stay home for the time being." In Jeonnam, since the 22nd confirmed case, who is the elder brother of the 16th confirmed patient, was diagnosed on the 6th of this month, no additional confirmed cases have occurred.

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