'Daejeon Multi-Level Marketing Link' COVID-19 Spread Rapidly... 25 Confirmed Cases in Four Days

Daejeon Mayor Heo Tae-jeong is announcing the status and measures of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the region at Daejeon City Hall on the 18th. Photo by Daejeon City

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) linked to multi-level marketing (MLM) visiting businesses is rapidly progressing in Daejeon.

According to Daejeon City on the 19th, as of 10 p.m. the previous day, three additional COVID-19 confirmed cases (#65~67) were reported in Daejeon. Since the first confirmed case related to the MLM visiting business was identified on the 15th, the total confirmed cases from the 15th to the 18th have increased by 25, with 21 in Daejeon, 3 in Chungnam, and 1 in Sejong.

In particular, Daejeon is showing a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases starting with #49 (female in her 60s, Boksu-dong, Seo-gu) and #50 (female in her 60s, Boksu-dong, Seo-gu).

These two confirmed cases are acquaintances who were in contact on the 10th at the office and restaurant of an MLM sales business located in Goejeong-dong, Seo-gu. Subsequently, five people (#52~55, #57) who had contact with #49 and four people (#56, #60~62) who had contact with #50 were confirmed positive for COVID-19 within the past four days.

Additionally, four people (#63~66) who had contact with #61, who was infected through them, and one person (#67) who had contact with #57 were consecutively confirmed positive, indicating that the spread of COVID-19 linked to MLM visiting businesses is rapidly advancing, according to health authorities.

A city official stated, “Some of the confirmed cases claim that they are not related to the MLM sales business (not employed),” but added, “However, during the investigation of their contacts, it was found that they are connected to the MLM sales business.”

Based on this, the city has determined that the MLM sales business located in Goejeong-dong, Seo-gu is the epicenter of this COVID-19 cluster infection. The city is conducting a full-scale survey of MLM sales businesses in the area and has issued an administrative order banning gatherings for two weeks.

However, the possibility of additional confirmed cases remains high depending on the movements of the confirmed patients. For example, some of the confirmed cases frequently visited the traditional market in Goejeong-dong since the 10th and have a history of visiting church prayer centers in Gongju, Chungnam, and Cheongju, Chungbuk, making it difficult to rule out the spread of COVID-19 in Daejeon and neighboring regions.

A city official said, “The pattern of COVID-19 infection spreading both inside and outside the region is becoming prominent,” and added, “The city plans to strengthen epidemiological investigations of confirmed patients and their close contacts, as well as enhance disinfection activities at multi-use facilities identified as places they visited.”

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