"86 Patients Identified Related to Itaewon Clubs: 78 Men and 8 Women... Most in Their 20s" (Update)

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 Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] As of 12:00 PM on the 11th, the cumulative number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) related to Itaewon clubs in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, has been counted at 86. Among them, 63 are club visitors, and 23 have been confirmed as secondary transmissions among family members, acquaintances, and colleagues.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for COVID-19, as of 8:00 AM on the same day, there were 79 confirmed cases related to Itaewon clubs, with 7 additional cases confirmed over the next 4 hours. Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, stated, "No tertiary transmission cases have been identified yet."

The number of related confirmed cases by region is 51 in Seoul, 21 in Gyeonggi, 7 in Incheon, 5 in Chungbuk, 1 in Busan, and 1 in Jeju. Regarding the patients' gender, 78 are male and 8 are female. By age group, those in their 20s account for the largest number with 58 cases, followed by 18 in their 30s, 3 each in their teens, 40s, and 50s, and 1 case aged 60 or older. Head Jung also revealed, "30 individuals tested positive while asymptomatic at the time of confirmation," which accounts for about 35% of the total.

According to the health authorities and the Seoul city government, 5,517 people have been confirmed to have visited Itaewon clubs from April 24 to May 6, and among them, 2,456 have undergone diagnostic testing. It has been identified that around 100 foreigners also visited, and the health authorities and local governments are attempting to contact them.

Head Jung stated, "This cluster infection involves many exposures among young age groups who are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms but are actively engaged in external activities, increasing the likelihood of spreading within the community. Most Itaewon entertainment facilities operated between May 2 and May 6, and since many confirmed cases emerged among those exposed during this period, considering the average incubation period, it is estimated that many cases will develop this week, between May 7 and 13."

He added, "This week is a very critical period to minimize the spread caused by secondary and tertiary transmissions," urging, "Those who visited Itaewon entertainment facilities should especially get tested promptly today or tomorrow."

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