'No Virus Detected' Near Guro Station and Sindorim Station Amid 'Call Center Cluster Infection'

No Detection Found in Inspection Results for Entrance Doors, Train Car Handles, and Air Samples

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] On the 18th, Seoul city announced that it has completed disinfection and virus testing of nearby subway stations and subway cars in connection with the largest cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Seoul, which occurred at the Guro Call Center.

After the city completed disinfection of Guro Station and Sindorim Station on the subway, as well as subway cars on lines 1 and 2, the Seoul Institute of Health and Environment collected samples on site and tested for the presence of the virus using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the same method used for COVID-19 confirmation tests.

Samples for testing were collected by swabbing 63 contact points including entrance doors, escalators, elevators, ticket gates, chairs in the concourse, platforms, and transfer corridors within the stations, as well as doors, handrails, seats, and poles (handrail supports) inside the subway cars.

Air samples were also collected separately from stations and subway cars using airborne virus collection equipment at multiple locations.

According to Seoul city, the test results showed that no virus was detected on any of the surfaces or in the air where contact was possible.

Separately, the city conducted virus tests at 143 locations including platforms, concourses, and transfer corridors in 14 subway stations across Seoul, such as Seoul Station, Gwangnaru Station, Suseo Station, and Ogeum Station, all of which also showed no virus detected.

Since February 12, Seoul city has been immediately disinfecting facilities included in the movement paths of confirmed cases in multi-use facilities and checking for virus presence to prevent secondary infections.

Among the facilities used by confirmed COVID-19 patients, including subways, large supermarkets, hospitals, pharmacies, and restaurants, a total of 91 facilities have been tested so far, with no virus detected in any of them.

Seoul city plans to continue environmental media investigations of about 120 facilities included in the movement paths of confirmed cases, including public transportation such as buses and subways.

Shin Yong-seung, director of the Seoul Institute of Health and Environment, said, "As concerns about COVID-19 infections in public transportation and multi-use facilities have recently increased, we hope that by transparently disclosing the scientific environmental sample investigation results, Seoul city can help alleviate excessive anxiety among citizens."

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