[Q&A] "Why is the infection rate high among Daegu citizens? Shincheonji's influence is not insignificant"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] On the 7th, the government stated that since the positive rate of COVID-19 diagnostic tests among the general public in Daegu reaches 9-10%, it is not a situation to be reassured about.

Kim Kang-lip, the 1st General Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, explained at a briefing held at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in Osong, Chungbuk, that "more than 90% of Shincheonji believers in Daegu have undergone diagnostic testing, and diagnostic testing for high-risk groups is almost complete," adding, "the number of confirmed cases in Daegu is showing a gradual stabilization trend."

He continued, "However, since the positive rate of diagnostic tests among the general public is also at the 9-10% level, it is not a situation to be reassured," and said, "To block community infection, diagnostic testing for Daegu citizens should be concentrated over the next few weeks to focus on detecting confirmed cases."

Coordinator Kim urged, "Daegu citizens should refrain from going out and traveling as much as possible, and if they have respiratory symptoms such as fever or cough, they should inquire at health centers about the necessity of diagnostic testing."

◇Below is a Q&A with Coordinator Kim regarding the positive rate among Daegu’s general public

- What is the reason for the high positive rate among the general public in Daegu who are not Shincheonji believers?

▲ It is presumed that the spread of infection centered around Shincheonji and its impact are considerable. Once more definitive epidemiological investigation results come out, we believe we can provide additional answers regarding these aspects. It is difficult to make premature forecasts about the current situation in Daegu.

- What is the interim result of the administrative investigation of the Shincheonji headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province?

▲ We are currently analyzing the information secured from the administrative investigation of the Shincheonji headquarters. With cooperation from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, epidemiologists from the quarantine countermeasures headquarters and the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters are directly analyzing it, but since it is still ongoing, there is nothing to report at this time.

- Are there any large-scale infection cases overseas similar to Daegu, excluding China?

▲ The case of infection occurring through a specific religious group in Daegu is very unusual. It is difficult to find similar cases abroad, so (domestic quarantine authorities) consider that there are not many cases to refer to.

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