"Church, 1 Person Can Infect Over 100"..Authorities Considering Mandatory Ban on Gatherings (Update)

On the 16th, 40 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed among the congregation, bringing the total to 46 confirmed cases at Eunhyeui Gang Church in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do. Officials from the Environmental Sanitation Division of Sujeong District Office are conducting disinfection around the church.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] On the 16th, quarantine authorities announced that they are considering measures to forcibly prohibit gatherings at specific facilities such as churches, depending on the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Since there is a legal basis under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, it is fully possible if it is judged that the infectious disease has spread to a dangerous level.

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19, said at a briefing on the same day, "There are legal provisions that prohibit gatherings," adding, "Regarding at what level, for what period, and how to implement it, we will assess the risk and discuss it through consultations within the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters."

Although there have been no large-scale cluster infection cases similar to the outbreak centered on the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu, this measure comes in response to the continuous occurrence of cluster patients numbering in the dozens across the country. In particular, while the government has recently emphasized social distancing and requested voluntary restraint from gatherings, some religious facilities still hold worship services or attract crowds to multi-use facilities, creating numerous risk factors. The number of patients related to the newly confirmed Seongnam Eunhyeui Gang Church has increased to 46, including 40 newly confirmed cases.

Head Jung said, "Religious events held in narrow and enclosed spaces, such as worship and singing hymns, have a very high exposure risk. One infected person can cause infections in 30 to 40 or even over 100 people, which is a very significant risk factor," adding, "It is difficult to say that social distancing is unnecessary even if the number of patients is small."

According to Article 49 of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, the Minister of Health and Welfare or local government heads can take measures to prohibit entertainment events, gatherings, rituals, or large assemblies to prevent infectious diseases. It is also possible to block all transportation within the jurisdiction. Head Jung stated, "If social distancing is stopped or relaxed under the current situation, the cluster cases we have experienced will increase significantly," and urged, "Until the outbreak is more controlled, please practice social distancing more strictly."

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