Incheon Church Also Infected by Richway... Infection Scale 116 People (Update)

On the 8th, the Richway office in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, related to a ping pong hall and a multi-level elderly health product sales company, is being restricted from entry due to ongoing secondary infections./Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The cluster infection at Incheon Yesu Malssum Silcheon Church has been found to be related to the door-to-door sales company Richway located in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, according to epidemiological investigation results by authorities.

On the 11th, the Central Disease Control Headquarters for COVID-19 reported that a patient confirmed positive on the 3rd was previously confirmed to have visited Richway in late last month. There are 9 patients related to this church, and the cluster related to Richway has increased to 116 people.

The number of patients in the Richway cluster infection surged within 9 days after the first patient was confirmed on the 2nd. There were 39 people who visited the facility, and an additional 77 patients were infected through contact afterward. Small-scale cluster infections in nearby areas such as SJ Investment Company and Myeongseong Housing were also found to be connected to this place, raising concerns that epidemiological investigations might be lagging. Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said at a briefing that "(the authorities) are discovering the situation late and are in a position of chasing after the outbreak."

In the Coupang logistics center cluster in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, 2 people tested positive before the end of self-quarantine, increasing the cumulative number of patients to 146. In the case of the Pioneer Church in the metropolitan area, 2 people under contact management tested positive, raising the total to 94. Additionally, 6 more patients related to the table tennis center in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, were confirmed, bringing the total to 60. Regarding the cluster infection at the Military Security Support Command in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, 2 family members tested positive, increasing the total to 7.

Deputy Director Kwon urged, "Cases are occurring where patients are confirmed positive after additional transmission has already taken place," adding, "As the full-scale heat wave begins, people aged 65 or older and those with chronic diseases are vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, so please refrain from going out during the daytime when it is crowded and temperatures are high as much as possible."

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