Incheon Taxi Driver Couple Infected After Transporting Confirmed Academy Instructor... Concerns Over Passenger Transmission

The private academy in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, where a tutor diagnosed with COVID-19 worked. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] A couple in their 60s, taxi drivers in Incheon who came into contact with a private academy instructor confirmed positive for COVID-19 after visiting a club in Itaewon, Seoul, have been infected with the virus. The taxi driver, who was asymptomatic, operated the taxi for more than ten days, raising concerns about additional infections among passengers.

Incheon City announced on the 18th that Mr. A (66) and his wife, residents of Seochang-dong, Namdong-gu, tested positive for COVID-19.

It was investigated that Mr. A gave a ride to private academy instructor Mr. B (25) in his taxi around 5 p.m. on the 4th. Mr. A showed symptoms of a sore throat on the 16th and visited Michuhol-gu Public Health Center the next day, where a specimen test confirmed positive, leading to his transfer to Incheon Medical Center.

Mr. A is known to have operated the taxi for about ten days from the time he came into contact with Mr. B until symptoms appeared.

Mr. A’s wife, classified as a close contact, also tested positive on the same day. She showed fever symptoms on the 12th and visited the screening clinic at Incheon Red Cross Hospital but was diagnosed by a doctor with a simple cold and did not undergo specimen testing. Later, on the 17th, she visited Namdong-gu Public Health Center again, where a specimen test confirmed positive.

The quarantine authorities notified four people, including their daughter and grandson who had contact with the couple, to their residence in Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, and are currently verifying the identities of 143 card-paying passengers who rode in Mr. A’s taxi and conducting specimen tests.

Additionally, to identify passengers who paid in cash, they are checking information inside the taximeter and sending safety messages, conducting further epidemiological investigations to identify the passengers Mr. A came into contact with.

Meanwhile, private academy instructor Mr. B, who was confirmed positive on the 9th, concealed his occupation and lied about his movements during the initial epidemiological investigation, resulting in a complaint filed against him by Incheon City for violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.

As of today, the total number of people confirmed positive through direct or indirect contact with Mr. B has increased to 17, including Mr. A and his wife, one fellow instructor, ten students, two parents, one private tutor, and one acquaintance.

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