COVID-19 Cases Increase by 142 to Total 346... Shincheonji and Daenam Hospital Account for 290 (Update)

COVID-19 Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, Domestic Status Report
Most Additional Patients Linked to Shincheonji and Daenam Hospital

On the 20th, a suspected COVID-19 patient with symptoms was transported by an ambulance from the Jongno-gu Public Health Center to the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, and is being moved in a wheelchair along with medical staff.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] On the 22nd, 142 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) were identified in South Korea. Among the newly confirmed patients, 130 were related to Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, or the Shincheonji Daegu Church, accounting for the majority. The death toll also increased by one, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the country to two.

According to the domestic occurrence status announced by the Central Disease Control Headquarters at 9 a.m. on the same day, out of the 142 newly confirmed patients, 131 were from the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, making up most of the cases. Two patients each were reported in Busan, Gyeonggi, and Chungbuk. One new case was also confirmed in Daejeon, Gwangju, Jeonbuk, Sejong, and Jeju respectively.

The Disease Control Headquarters announces patient status twice daily (at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.), and this is the first time since the first domestic case was confirmed on the 20th of last month that hundreds of new patients have been added in a single day. By region, sporadic cases are being confirmed nationwide, centered around Daegu and Gyeongbuk. The total cumulative number of domestic patients has increased to 346.

Daenam Hospital, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongbuk

Patients are rapidly increasing at the Shincheonji Daegu Church and Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, which are considered cluster outbreak cases. Among the newly confirmed patients on this day, 38 were related to the Shincheonji Daegu Church, and 92 were related to Daenam Hospital. The infection routes of the remaining 12 patients are under investigation. Including existing patients, the number of patients related to the Shincheonji Daegu Church has risen to 182, and those related to Daenam Hospital have increased to 108.

The death toll also increased by one. The deceased was a 55-year-old woman who was hospitalized at Daenam Hospital and was confirmed positive for COVID-19 the previous day. She died during the process of being transferred to Busan National University Hospital. Previously, on the 20th, a patient hospitalized at the same hospital was found positive post-mortem, and this is the second death presumed to be related to COVID-19.

The number of patients who have fully recovered and been released from quarantine remains at 17, the same as the previous day. Excluding those released from quarantine and the deceased, 327 patients are currently receiving treatment. The number of people tested for COVID-19 has increased by more than 3,000 to 19,275 (excluding confirmed patients), and those who tested negative and were released from quarantine have increased to 13,794. Currently, 5,481 people are undergoing testing.

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