9 New Confirmed Cases Related to Seoul Call Center and Startups... At Least 263 Cumulative Cases in Seoul

The closure of the Korea Building in Sindorim-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul, where the largest cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the metropolitan area occurred, was partially lifted at midnight on the 16th for some areas (offices and business spaces on floors 1 to 6). Guro-gu, Seoul, lifted the closure order for the Korea Building at midnight on the 16th. The closure order for the call center floors, 7 to 12, will be maintained until the 22nd, and the decision to lift the order will be made later depending on the situation. The photo shows the first closure order notice that was posted until that day. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] On the 16th, at least nine new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) were reported in Seoul's autonomous districts, increasing the cumulative number of patients in Seoul to at least 263.

On the same day, Gwanak-gu announced the occurrence of its 17th and 18th confirmed cases. The 18th patient, residing in Haengun-dong, is an employee of startup company P, where a cluster outbreak occurred. Although the patient tested negative on the 12th and was self-isolating, they tested positive in a re-examination on this day. As a result, the number of infections related to startup company P in Gwanak-gu has increased to at least seven.

Regarding the 17th patient, it was confirmed that they had been living at their parents' house in Nakseongdae-dong since the 8th of this month. Gwanak-gu is currently conducting tests on four contacts (grandmother, parents, and an employee).

Seodaemun-gu also announced that a 48-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man living in Cheonyeon-dong tested positive for COVID-19 on the same day. The mother and son were transported to Seoul St. Mary's Hospital and Boramae Hospital, respectively.

Gangseo-gu in Seoul reported that a man in his 40s, living in Banghwa 2-dong and working in Yeongdeungpo-gu, was tested on the 13th and received a positive result in the afternoon of this day. This man, the 15th patient in Gangseo-gu, is presumed to have been infected by a male colleague in his 40s living in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, whom he last contacted on the 11th.

Among the newly confirmed cases, at least three are related to the cluster chain infection at the Korea Building call center in Guro-gu: a 24-year-old man who is the son of a call center employee (the 3rd patient in Guro-gu), a 41-year-old woman residing in Yongsan-gu who had contact with a call center employee (the 3rd patient in Yongsan-gu), and a woman in her 20s living in Eunpyeong-gu who is a family member of a call center employee (the 18th patient in Eunpyeong-gu).

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