"Religious Activities" vs "Infection Spread": Controversy Over Pilgrimage 'Nuisance' Amid COVID-19 Surge

Gyeongbuk Province: "12 out of 39 attendees of Israel pilgrimage tested positive for COVID-19"
Estimated 183 contacts after returning, visiting workplaces, spas, restaurants
Infection routes of confirmed cases under investigation

On the morning of the 24th, medical staff at Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, are transferring a patient to another location. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] As COVID-19 cases continue to be confirmed among participants of the Israeli pilgrimage group in Gyeongbuk, criticism toward them is intensifying.

Since COVID-19 can be transmitted through droplets, group activities should be avoided, but because the pilgrimage participants traveled together, concerns about infection have grown, raising fears that the virus might spread to the local community.

Gyeongsangbuk-do announced on the 24th that "Among 39 Catholic believers from the Andong Diocese who participated in the Israeli pilgrimage, 12 additional COVID-19 cases have been confirmed." Excluding one confirmed case from Seoul, the number of confirmed cases in Gyeongbuk reaches 29. The remaining 9 tested negative.

According to Gyeongsangbuk-do, these individuals reside in Uiseong, Andong, Yeongju, and other areas, and they went on the pilgrimage to Israel from the 8th to the 16th before returning through Incheon Airport.

After returning, they engaged in daily activities such as going to workplaces, hot springs, restaurants, senior centers, churches, and bookstores. As of now, health authorities have identified 183 contacts linked to them.

Arriving at Incheon Airport Terminal 2 via Korean Air, they split into two tourist buses from Daegu, dropped off their guide at Terminal 1, and then moved to An-gye Catholic Church in Uiseong County, Gyeongbuk.

This has led to speculation that the infection route might be related to the buses that came up from Daegu. However, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has not yet officially announced whether the initial infected person was the guide, the believers, or the driver from Daegu.

Additionally, another pilgrimage group that visited Israel and Rome, Italy, has been identified. The second pilgrimage group, consisting of 19 participants, departed on the 13th, visited Israel and Rome, and returned to Incheon Airport on the afternoon of the 24th. Gyeongbuk Province has quarantined all of them at a facility in Andong to investigate possible infections.

On the 24th, medical staff are assisting symptomatic citizens with testing at the COVID-19 screening clinic of the National Medical Center in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Some criticize the decision to go on a group pilgrimage amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

A man in his 30s, office worker A, expressed frustration, saying, "A pilgrimage at a time like this? I can't understand it." Another office worker B in their mid-20s said, "Since pilgrimage is a personal choice, I can't criticize it, but it would have been better to go after COVID-19 ends," expressing regret.

On the other hand, some believe the pilgrimage was decided before concerns about COVID-19 infection grew. Office worker C in their 40s said, "There are people criticizing the pilgrimage during this time, but usually, overseas trips are booked at least three months in advance," adding, "It seems unrelated to the current COVID-19 situation."

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced at 9 a.m. on the 25th that 60 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed overnight, bringing the total domestic cases to 893.

Among the 60 new confirmed cases, Gyeongbuk had the highest number with 33 cases, followed by Daegu with 16, Gyeonggi with 5, Busan with 3, Seoul with 2, and Gyeongnam with 1.

Currently, a total of 35,823 people have been tested, with 22,550 testing negative. There are 13,273 people awaiting test results.

The death toll increased by one to 8. The 107th patient (male, born in 1953), who was hospitalized at Kyungpook National University Hospital, died on the 24th and was included in the morning tally. This patient was linked to the Daenam Hospital cluster in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk.

Wonju City is conducting disinfection inside the government building on the 23rd to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections within the region.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, about 400 Korean travelers in Israel have returned in the first wave. The Korean Embassy in Israel announced on the 24th through an emergency notice that "Under close cooperation between the Korean and Israeli governments, approximately 417 Korean nationals returned using two temporary flights provided by the Israeli government."

The first temporary flight carrying them departed from Ben Gurion Airport at 11 p.m. Korean time (4 p.m. local time) on the 24th. The second flight departed at 5 a.m. on the 25th Korean time (10 p.m. local time).

The cost of operating these charter flights is borne by the Israeli government. After confirming that Koreans who participated in the Israeli pilgrimage were infected with COVID-19, the Israeli government decided to cover the expenses to send Koreans back home.

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