Pastor of Manmin Central Church Also Tests Positive for COVID-19... Concerns Over Secondary Infections at Religious Facilities (Update)

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] A pastor of Manmin Central Church in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, where a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) occurred, also tested positive for COVID-19.

On the 28th, Dongjak-gu announced on its website that the 17th confirmed COVID-19 case had been identified. The patient is a woman in her 50s, who was found to be a pastor of Manmin Central Church. Her address is in Shindaebang 2-dong. She was tested at the Dongjak-gu Public Health Center around 3:40 PM on March 27 and received a positive diagnosis at 10:20 AM on March 28.

The Dongjak-gu Public Health Center is estimating that Ms. R's infection route is through contact with a confirmed case at Manmin Central Church.

After a church member, Mr. A, was confirmed as the first case at Manmin Central Church on the 25th, his wife, Ms. B, also tested positive the following day. Ms. B's mother, Ms. C, who lives in Guro-gu, also tested positive on the same day, and a workplace colleague, Mr. D, was confirmed as well.

On the 26th, Dongjak-gu completed disinfection at two residences and temporarily closed the prayer room. On the 27th, after finishing disinfection at Manmin Central Church, the church was closed.

As the number of confirmed cases related to Manmin Central Church increases, concerns about a cluster infection are growing. Among 240 suspected contacts of Mr. A, 33 close contacts were tested, resulting in three church staff members testing positive. They are Mr. E (55) from Geumcheon-gu, Mr. F (43) from Yeongdeungpo-gu, and Mr. G (51) from Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do.

Guro-gu is conducting tests on the remaining approximately 200 people by setting up a temporary screening clinic in the church yard on the morning of the 27th. By 6 PM on the 27th, 198 people had been tested.

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