[Breaking News] Six COVID-19 Cases Related to Manmin Central Church... Growing Concerns Over Cluster Infection

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] It is reported that there are at least six confirmed cases of COVID-19 related to Seoul Manmin Jungang Church.

According to announcements from Seoul's autonomous districts and quarantine authorities on the 27th, the number of suspected infections related to Manmin Jungang Church is estimated to be six.

First, a 55-year-old man residing in Doksan 3-dong, Geumcheon-gu (Geumcheon-gu patient number 8) was notified of his positive diagnosis on the same day. Although his registered address is in Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi Province, his actual residence is in Doksan 3-dong, Geumcheon-gu, and his workplace is Manmin Jungang Church located in Guro 3-dong, Guro-gu. This patient is known to be a colleague of Geumcheon-gu patient number 6 (a 40-year-old man living in Doksan 1-dong, confirmed positive on the 25th).

The quarantine authorities believe that Geumcheon-gu patient number 6 is highly likely to be connected to Manmin Jungang Church based on his movement patterns and that he works at the church. Among three confirmed patients residing in other districts identified by Guro-gu Office, two are employees working with Geumcheon-gu patient number 6 at the Manmin Jungang Church office in Dongjak-gu, and the other is a church staff member.

Geumcheon-gu patient number 6 is also presumed to have infected his wife, patient number 7 (a 33-year-old woman living in Doksan 1-dong, confirmed positive on the 26th), and his mother-in-law, Guro-gu patient number 24 (a 58-year-old woman living in Garibong-dong, confirmed positive on the 26th), through contact.

Earlier, during the investigation, quarantine authorities discovered a prayer room in the basement of a villa where church members live near the pastor’s residence in Dongjak-gu and ordered its closure. The church officially switched to online worship services starting March 6.

The quarantine authorities also confirmed that church members accessed an office installed in a container near the pastor’s residence and the villa, and they are investigating the connection with the church or the pastor’s residence while identifying contacts.

Guro-gu Office also closed the Manmin Jungang Church located in Guro 3-dong on the same day.

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