Cluster Infection Starting at Guro Call Center... Fear of COVID-19 Spread in the Seoul Metropolitan Area

Increased Anxiety as 76 Confirmed Cases in the Capital Area
Concerns Over Psychological Defense Collapse if Further Infections Occur

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Jo In-kyung, Yoo Byung-don, Jo Hyun-ui] The cluster infection originating from a call center in Guro-gu, Seoul is leading the COVID-19 crisis into a completely new phase. Expectations for a somewhat subdued spread quickly turned into a sense of crisis within 24 hours.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases announced on the 11th was 242. After dropping to the 100s with 131 cases the previous day, the count rose again to the 200s. This increase is largely due to 90 confirmed cases from the Guro-gu call center. In fact, new confirmed cases in the metropolitan area are rising sharply. While the daily new cases had been around 10 to 20 for several days, 76 new cases were confirmed just on this day. As concerns about cluster infections triggered from the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions rapidly shift to the metropolitan area, citizens' anxiety is intensifying.

Professor Lim Myung-ho of Dankook University’s Department of Psychology said in a phone interview with reporters that day, "If additional infections occur in other groups following this call center cluster infection, there is concern that the psychological defense line of the public centered around the metropolitan area will collapse."

Signs of these concerns becoming reality are also observed among citizens near Sindorim Station and Guro Station, adjacent to the Guro-gu call center. Around 8 a.m. that day, citizens leaving Guro Station first saw employees of the Guro-gu Facilities Management Corporation dressed in white protective suits above ground. These employees were waiting to begin full-scale disinfection work after the morning commute. This location is only about 150 meters away from the building housing the call center.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Office worker Park Jin-min (32), who said he directly felt the sense of crisis in this area, stated, "Although confirmed cases are decreasing nationwide, I think the metropolitan area including Seoul is just beginning."

Another office worker, Choi Hee-yeon (29, female), said, "I have no choice but to use the subway for commuting, but I worry because I don’t know when or where I might get infected," adding, "Since cluster infections at workplaces have become a reality, I hope the government creates measures for office workers."

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters announced that the newly confirmed cases as of 0 a.m. that day were 242, bringing the total domestic cases to 7,755. A notable feature is the sharp increase in confirmed cases in the metropolitan area including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon. While the number had been around 10 to 20 for the past five days, 76 new cases were added on this day. Accordingly, the cumulative confirmed cases in the metropolitan area reached 393, approaching 400. Although the increase is not as high as in the metropolitan area, new cases in Daegu and Gyeongbuk also rose by 47 to 149 compared to the previous day.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The number of confirmed cases in the metropolitan area is likely to continue rising sharply for the time being. This is because test results for employees working in the same building as the Guro-gu call center staff and their families will continue to be released over the next few days. According to Seoul city’s data, there are currently 90 confirmed cases related to the call center. The confirmed cases’ residences are 62 in Seoul, 13 in Gyeonggi, and 15 in Incheon.

The government has decided to establish COVID-19 prevention guidelines for densely populated workplaces such as call centers. Seoul, where large call centers are concentrated, plans to hold a meeting with financial institutions and others that afternoon to share call center action guidelines.

Mayor Park Won-soon said, "Call centers and other workplaces that do not participate in the measures may face facility closure orders and other actions under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act."

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