Under 18 COVID-19 Patients: 4 out of 10 Linked to Shincheonji (Update)

Seoul city officials are entering the sanctuary on the 17th of last month to conduct an on-site administrative investigation at the Shincheonji Jesus Church Bartholomew Branch headquarters located in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporters Choi Dae-yeol and Cho Hyun-ui] Among domestic patients infected with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), 507 patients are aged 18 or younger, accounting for 4.7% of the total confirmed cases. Among them, 211 patients (2.0%) are 12 years old or younger, including infants and elementary school students.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters on the 29th, out of the 507 pediatric and adolescent patients, 211 cases were related to Shincheonji Church of Jesus (hereafter Shincheonji). As of this day, the number of Shincheonji-related patients reached 5,212, nearly half of all confirmed cases. This represents the largest cluster outbreak in the country. Among the pediatric and adolescent patients, 117 were infected through contact with previously confirmed patients. There were 79 patients who were infected after entering the country from abroad or through contact with entrants, and 66 patients were infected due to other cluster outbreaks.

Among the pediatric and adolescent patients, males numbered 272, exceeding females who numbered 235. By age group, 86 patients were aged 0-6 years, 125 were 7-12 years old, and 296 were 13-18 years old. Most patients (76%) showed no or mild symptoms, with main symptoms including cough, sputum, fever, and sore throat. There have been no deaths or severe cases among pediatric and adolescent patients in the country.

As of this day, 419 out of the 507 patients (82.6%) have been released from isolation, while the remaining 88 are still in isolation. Among the total 292 re-positive cases, 17 were pediatric and adolescent patients. The re-positive rate was 3.4%, slightly higher than that of adults aged 19 and older (2.7%).

Director Jeong Eun-kyung stated, "Due to COVID-19, children and adolescents are experiencing depression, anxiety, and fear, leading to an increase in psychological counseling cases, indicating significant stress and aftereffects." She added, "Families and guardians should provide accurate information and preventive guidelines in an easy-to-understand manner and frequently communicate with children to prevent them from developing vague fears."

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