Total of 7 Confirmed Cases in Incheon from 'Itaewon Club'... Is Regional Infection Spread Increasing?

Cohort Isolation Level Management at Seogu Bless Hospital Where Confirmed Patient Was Hospitalized
Incheon City Conducts Intensive Inspections and Recommends Refraining from Operating Entertainment Venues Until the 7th of Next Month

A citizen is passing in front of the 'King Club' in Itaewon, Seoul, where a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) had visited. 2020.5.8 / Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) related to clubs in Itaewon, Seoul, has increased to seven in Incheon alone, raising concerns about the spread of secondary infections within the region.

In particular, Bless Hospital in Seo-gu, Incheon, where one of the confirmed patients was hospitalized, has initiated cohort isolation-level management and is conducting COVID-19 tests on hospitalized patients and medical staff.

According to Incheon City on the 9th, A (21), who lives in Bupyeong-gu, visited King Club in Itaewon on the 2nd-3rd and 5th, and was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on the 8th. Subsequently, six additional people, including A’s contacts and visitors to clubs or pubs, were also confirmed positive.

A’s older sister B (28) did not visit the Itaewon clubs but was classified as a contact of A and tested at Bupyeong-gu Public Health Center. She was confirmed as Incheon’s 98th case on the 8th and was transferred to the same hospital as her brother.

C (26, Bupyeong-gu), who met A at a dance practice studio, was also confirmed positive on the same day. On the 6th, C stayed for about 40 minutes at the dance studio in Bupyeong-gu where A was present, practicing dancing together before testing positive.

D (22), living in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, visited King Club on the 1st-2nd and 4th, and then a soju bar in Itaewon on the 5th, before being confirmed positive on the 9th.

Also, E (21), a resident of Guro-gu, Seoul, classified as Incheon’s 101st confirmed case, visited a pub in Itaewon on the 4th and was admitted to Bless Hospital in Dangha-dong, Seo-gu on the 5th for treatment of a pre-existing condition. After recalling the visit to the Itaewon pub, E underwent testing and was confirmed positive.

The city has ordered the hospital where E was admitted to completely suspend outpatient services starting from the 9th and plans to strictly manage the hospital at a cohort isolation level by blocking external contact and controlling entry and exit. COVID-19 tests are also being conducted on 237 people, including 179 hospitalized patients and 58 medical staff and employees.

Furthermore, F (25), living in Michuhol-gu, visited King Club on the 2nd-3rd and tested positive on the 9th after being tested at Michuhol-gu Public Health Center on the 8th. It was found that F dined with A at a pojangmacha (street food tent) in Itaewon.

G (34), a resident of Michuhol-gu who had contact with F, was also confirmed positive on the same day. G visited F’s home on the 5th and on the 6th visited a gym and a car dealership in Michuhol-gu, as well as a shopping center in Yeonsu-gu.

As such, the cluster infection of COVID-19 originating from Itaewon clubs in Seoul has led to secondary infections in Incheon, causing tension in the local community. Particularly, tracing A’s movements before the confirmation revealed that he traveled between Seoul and Incheon mostly without wearing a mask, raising the possibility of additional confirmed cases.

Incheon City estimates that about 2,000 people visited the Itaewon clubs A visited and has established close cooperation with Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to share epidemiological investigation results, identify contacts and movement paths, and recommends that citizens who visited King, Trunk, or Queen clubs in Itaewon between midnight and 3:50 a.m. on the 2nd visit their local public health centers for COVID-19 testing.

Additionally, to prevent the spread of secondary infections within the region, quarantine measures are being further strengthened. The city has issued an administrative order recommending the suspension of operations until the 7th of next month for 1,058 entertainment establishments, including 31 clubs and 127 adult entertainment pubs in Incheon.

The city actively recommends refraining from operating these facilities, but if operation is unavoidable, it mandates compliance with quarantine guidelines such as temperature checks at entrances, mandatory mask-wearing for all workers and patrons, and designation of quarantine managers.

Incheon Mayor Park Namchun stated via SNS, "We will conduct intensive inspections with the police to ensure compliance with administrative orders for entertainment facilities and will actively enforce closure orders if violations occur. Since the success of the initial response to this cluster infection is crucial for children’s school reopening, we will do our utmost to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and we ask citizens to strictly follow quarantine rules."

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