Churches and academies face successive cluster infections... Is the second major outbreak beginning?

Clusters of Infections Continue in Local Areas Including Churches, Academies, and Nursing Homes
7.7% of Confirmed Cases in the Past Two Weeks Have Unknown Infection Routes
Experts Say "Social Distancing Should Start at Least in the 수도권"

On the morning of the 6th of last month, citizens wearing masks are moving to transfer trains at Sindorim Station on Subway Line 1 in Guro-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is spreading recently, mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area, including infections originating from the Bucheon Coupang logistics center in Gyeonggi Province, concerns are rising that a second large-scale outbreak may be beginning. This is due to the increased frequency of citizens going out after the transition to daily life quarantine, and worries that the sudden warm weather may lead to large-scale infections as people do not wear masks.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) as of 12 a.m. on the 31st of last month, 27 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed. This is the first time in five days since the 26th of last month that the daily new confirmed cases have been below 30.

The spread of COVID-19 originating from the Coupang logistics center seems to be decreasing. On this day, the number of confirmed cases related to the Coupang logistics center increased by 3 from the previous day to 111. By region, there are 48 in Gyeonggi, 44 in Incheon, and 19 in Seoul.

However, small-scale cluster infections continue within the local community, so it seems unlikely that the tension over the spread of COVID-19 can be relaxed. According to the CDSCH on the 1st, the number of reported cluster outbreaks over the past two weeks, which were assessed for risk, was 12. This is an increase of 11 cases compared to the previous two weeks (April 3?16), when there was only one case.

Cluster infection cases reported during this period include ▲a pub in Gangnam ▲Elim Church in Gumi ▲Original Bible Study Group ▲Young Rembrandt Art Academy ▲KB Life Insurance TM Insurance Agency ▲a family in Eunpyeong-gu ▲Korean University Student Missionary Association (all in Seoul) ▲Bucheon paramedics ▲a family in Guri ▲Happy Nursing Home (all in Gyeonggi) ▲and a family in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon.

As a result, citizens voiced concerns about a nationwide surge in confirmed cases again and collectively called for strengthening quarantine measures through social distancing.

A office worker A (29) living in Seocho-gu, Seoul said, "This is not the first time the re-spread of COVID-19 has been mentioned; it has been a concern for some time. A few months ago, the quarantine authorities also said they were preparing for a re-spread."

He added, "The government said it would respond excessively, but they forced school attendance, and there have been cases of students testing positive. We should not keep delaying and should switch back to social distancing now. That way, citizens can also regain their lax attitude toward following preventive measures."

On the afternoon of the 31st of last month, diagnostic testing was conducted on faculty and students who had contact with a student confirmed to have COVID-19 at Yangji Elementary School playground in Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, the quarantine authorities stated that they are preparing for the possibility of a second large-scale outbreak. Kim Kang-lip, the first chief coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, said at a regular briefing held at the Government Sejong Complex on April 8, "While some consider the current relatively stable maintenance as an optimistic scenario, we are preparing based on several assumptions that a so-called second wave may come."

There have also been concerns raised about an increase in so-called 'dark' patients whose infection routes are unknown. It was found that 7.7% of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks had unidentified infection routes.

B, a man in his 50s living in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, said, "I think it was premature to switch to daily life quarantine while cases with unidentified infection routes were continuously emerging. It means that infection sources remaining somewhere have not been identified."

He added, "Since in-person classes are ongoing, once the virus spreads, it is likely to spread not only in that area but also to other areas where residents move. I think the government should implement online classes or work-from-home measures again."

Experts foresee the need to switch to social distancing, especially in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Professor Eom Jung-sik, an infectious disease specialist at Gachon University Gil Medical Center, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 1st, "I think it is necessary to switch to social distancing. It is true that community transmission is widespread and the number of confirmed cases has increased compared to April and early May, but the problem is that the number of people whose transmission chains are difficult to trace keeps increasing."

Professor Eom said, "If we cannot find epidemiological links, it means transmission is continuously occurring somewhere, but since we do not know where, the only way is to cut it off through physical methods like social distancing. If we start social distancing now, we can see effects in 2 to 3 weeks. It is possible only if we start now; if we wait until the situation worsens, it will be too late. A second re-outbreak may occur," he emphasized.

However, the quarantine authorities currently do not consider switching to social distancing.

Earlier, Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's CDSCH, said at a regular briefing on the 29th, "Because the speed of the outbreak is rapidly increasing, it is too late to strengthen measures after observing for two weeks. When strengthening measures, it is necessary to make decisions more quickly."

Park Neung-hoo, first head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, said on the 31st of last month, "Although the overall risk level has been assessed to be rising over the past two weeks, we judge that it is not yet at a level where the nationwide daily life social distancing stage should be adjusted, as our medical system can handle the current situation."

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