"Second Wave Uncertainty, Race Against Time"…Intense Tracking of Infected Cases

Tracking Itaewon Club Visitors, Thoroughly Checking Mobile Phones and Cards
Related Confirmed Cases Increase to 79

On the 11th, citizens who visited the screening clinic set up at Yongsan-gu Public Health Center in Seoul, where concerns about the spread of COVID-19 originating from Itaewon clubs are rising, are lining up to get tested. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporters Choi Dae-yeol and Kim Heung-soon] The government has launched an all-out effort to prevent the nationwide spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) originating from Itaewon clubs.

Since the Itaewon club area itself is presumed to be the source of infection, it has become increasingly necessary to identify all visitors during the approximately two-week period from late April to early May and determine their infection status. Considering the incubation period, the tracking results over today and tomorrow will be a turning point for the second wave of the outbreak. While reviewing mobile phone records, credit card usage history, and closed-circuit television (CCTV), all available administrative resources, including police and local government officials, will be mobilized.

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said before the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters meeting on the 11th, "Since speed is crucial, we must quickly identify and conduct diagnostic tests on the estimated thousands of visitors," adding, "The top priority now is to block the spread of regional infections in the metropolitan area within the minimum possible range."

Source: Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for COVID-19

As of 8 a.m. that day, a total of 79 confirmed cases related to Itaewon clubs were recorded. This figure includes 73 cases identified until the previous day (including 14 community infections) plus 6 additional cases confirmed after midnight. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, out of 5,517 club visitors during the relevant period as of 10 p.m. the previous day, 2,405 were contacted, but the remaining approximately 3,000 either did not respond or had incorrect contact information.

The police have formed a rapid response team of over 8,000 personnel to respond to requests from local governments. The response team plans to track visitors by reviewing future mobile carrier base station records and credit card transaction histories.

Meanwhile, 35 new domestic COVID-19 cases were confirmed that day. Among the new patients, 29 were community-acquired. As the number of patients increased due to the cluster infection around Itaewon clubs in Seoul, the number of patients in isolation, which had been steadily decreasing since mid-March, reversed to an upward trend after about two months.

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