Over 20 Infected in Group at Daegu Sarang Church... Health Authorities Send Late-Night 'Emergency Message'

Over 20 Church Members of Pastor from Dong-gu Confirmed COVID-19 Cases
Pastor Attending Gwanghwamun Rally Tests Positive, Followed by Family and Close Contacts Infections

On August 28, believers from Bitgaon Church are waiting for 'COVID-19' testing at an additional screening clinic set up at Nowon-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] It has been confirmed that about 20 members of Sarangui Church, to which a pastor from Daegu Dong-gu who tested positive after participating in the Gwanghwamun rally belongs, were collectively infected.

On the night of the 29th at 11:16 PM, Daegu City announced this cluster infection and sent an urgent disaster safety alert text message to citizens, stating, "On the 30th, all churches located in Daegu are prohibited from gathering! All worship services are strongly requested to switch to non-face-to-face online."

While the quarantine authorities are conducting COVID-19 tests after securing a list of about 100 members of Sarangui Church, it is known that in addition to the 5 people who tested positive after the Gwanghwamun rally, about 20 more were newly confirmed on the 29th alone.

According to data announced by Daegu City on the morning of the 29th, the number of fourth-generation infections mediated by the pastor reached 12. This is the first time since the Shincheonji incident that about 20 people were collectively infected at once in Daegu.

The existing confirmed cases include a couple in their 40s who attended the Gwanghwamun rally and their middle and high school children. It is known that nearly half of the church members took a chartered bus to the Gwanghwamun rally on the 15th. The health authorities are focusing on cutting off the chain of transmission as about 20 people have been confirmed positive from this church alone.

As announced on the morning of the 29th, Daegu City issued an administrative order banning gatherings at 11 high-risk facilities, including 9 clubs that did not comply with quarantine rules, as of 6 PM. Three places were suspended from business, 27 were fined, and 5 received correction orders.

The cumulative number of confirmed cases in Daegu was 7,013 as of midnight on the 29th, but it is expected to exceed 7,030 on the 30th.

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