Did 'COVID-19' Board the Honam Line... 12 New Weekend Cases in Gwangju and Jeonnam (Summary)

10 Local Community Infections and 2 Overseas Entrants... Infection Source 'Unclear' Raises Alert for Health Authorities

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] The relatively COVID-19 clean areas of Gwangju and Jeonnam have been put on alert as 12 new confirmed cases occurred over the weekend. With the initial infection source still unknown, confirmed cases have emerged along the Honam Line route passing through Daejeon, Jeonbuk, Gwangju, and Jeonnam, causing health authorities to be on high alert.

The 12 confirmed cases in Gwangju and Jeonnam over the weekend were identified as 10 community infections and 2 overseas arrivals.

According to Gwangju Metropolitan City and Jeonnam Province on the 28th, a couple in their 60s and their grandson living in Mokpo, Jeonnam, were confirmed positive for COVID-19 the previous day.

The woman in her 60s, Ms. A, complained of coughing and chills on the afternoon of the 26th and underwent testing at a screening clinic in Mokpo.

She tested positive at a private testing institution, and after retesting at the Jeonnam Health and Environment Research Institute, she was finally confirmed positive.

Along with her husband Mr. B and their teenage grandson Mr. C, who live together, they were confirmed positive. They were classified as the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd confirmed cases in Jeonnam.

Ms. A’s younger sister, a woman in her 60s, Ms. D, and her husband Mr. E, who had meals with Ms. A, also tested positive in COVID-19 tests that day. They are the 34th and 35th confirmed cases in Gwangju.

Following this, a man in his 60s, Mr. F, and a woman in her 60s, Ms. G, who had contact with the 34th confirmed case in Gwangju, were confirmed positive.

Mr. F stayed all day on the 25th and 26th at Gwangnyeoksa Temple in Unnim-dong, Dong-gu. He had a fever symptom that day and took a self-driven car to a health center screening clinic at around 4 p.m., receiving a positive result at 8:30 p.m.

Ms. G visited Duam Korean Medicine Hospital in Sansu-dong, Dong-gu, around noon on the 24th and took a taxi home an hour later. At 4:30 p.m., the Seo-gu Health Center visited her home to collect a specimen, and she was confirmed positive at 8:30 p.m.

On the same day, two overseas arrivals were confirmed positive in Gwangju and Jeonnam respectively.

The 24th confirmed case in Jeonnam, Mr. H, arrived at Incheon Airport the previous day from Nicaragua via Mexico. He used the KTX exclusive car for overseas arrivals and was admitted to a temporary testing facility operated by Jeonnam Province.

The Jeonnam Health and Environment Research Institute’s diagnostic test confirmed a final positive result that morning. He is currently hospitalized and isolated at Gwangju Bitgoeul Jeonnam National University Hospital. He shows no particular symptoms.

In Gwangju, a woman in her 30s, Ms. I, who arrived from the United Kingdom, was confirmed positive.

Ms. I arrived at Incheon Airport at 2:30 p.m. the previous day from the UK. She took an exclusive bus for overseas arrivals, arriving at Gwangmyeong Station at 5:20 p.m., then took the exclusive KTX and arrived at Gwangju Songjeong Station at 8:28 p.m.

She immediately transferred to the Gwangju Fire Academy Dormitory by the city’s exclusive bus at 9 p.m.

Following city guidelines, a specimen was collected at 10 a.m. that day, and she was confirmed positive around 3 p.m. Ms. I has no special symptoms and is reported to have worn a mask throughout all movements.

Subsequently, three people in Gwangju were consecutively confirmed positive. All had contact with the 36th confirmed case in Gwangju.

Ms. J, a woman in her 60s living in Duam-dong, Buk-gu (the 39th confirmed case in Gwangju), visited Gwangnyeoksa Temple in Unnim-dong, Dong-gu, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the 26th, then stayed at home from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. She visited an acquaintance’s house in Duam-dong, Buk-gu, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and walked home.

On the 27th, she stayed at Gwangnyeoksa Temple from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., then visited an acquaintance’s house in Duam-dong from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., and walked home at 3 p.m.

At around 11 a.m. that day, the Buk-gu Health Center visited Ms. J’s home to collect a specimen, and she was confirmed positive at 7 p.m.

Ms. K, a woman in her 50s living in Yangsan-dong, Buk-gu (the 40th confirmed case), drove to Gwangnyeoksa Temple at 9 a.m. on the 26th and returned home at 1 p.m.

The Buk-gu Health Center visited Ms. K’s home that day to collect a specimen, which tested positive.

Ms. L, a woman in her 60s living in Usan-dong, Buk-gu (the 41st confirmed case), visited the Buk-gu Health Center on foot at 4 p.m. that day for testing.

Health authorities are currently conducting comprehensive epidemiological investigations on these individuals to accurately trace their movements and contacts.

Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, said, “It is no exaggeration to say that the second wave of COVID-19 is coming as the virus is rapidly spreading nationwide. The success of quarantine depends on the cooperation of each citizen. Please actively practice basic quarantine rules such as wearing masks, washing hands, and maintaining social distancing in daily life.”

Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, stated, “The speed of infection transmission among asymptomatic individuals is very fast, so quarantine rules such as wearing masks must be followed more strictly. We will respond thoroughly and proactively beyond government policies to prevent further spread.”

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