Park Neung-hoo "Confirmed cases remain in the 100s without decline... Very concerning"

"Infection route unknown accounts for about 20% cumulative, with repeated cluster infections"

On the 10th, Park Neung-hoo, First Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, speaks at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters video conference on COVID-19 response held at the Seoul Government Complex Disaster Situation Room. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Park Neung-hoo, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCHQ), expressed on the 12th that the continued spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is a "very worrisome situation" and urged thorough social distancing practices this weekend as well.

At the CDSCHQ meeting held at the Government Seoul Office Building that day, Deputy Head Park said, "The number of confirmed cases remains stubbornly in the hundreds," adding, "Cluster infections of around twenty cases are appearing in various regions outside the metropolitan area." He continued, "About 20% of cases have unknown infection routes, and with silent transmission continuing, community infections are ongoing," expressing concern that "cluster infections are repeatedly occurring in general hospitals, nursing hospitals, multi-level marketing, and door-to-door sales."

Deputy Head Park requested, "As Chuseok approaches, many people may be planning to perform grave clearing, but this year, for the safety of parents and relatives, please actively use the grave clearing services provided by local agricultural cooperatives and forestry cooperatives instead of doing it yourself, and participate in religious activities online."

He especially emphasized, "Recently, 40% of confirmed patients are aged 60 or older," and urged, "Please avoid gatherings and events held in enclosed, crowded, and close-contact settings such as door-to-door sales or health supplement briefings."

Meanwhile, the CDSCHQ shared on the same day the results of a comparative analysis between the COVID-19 outbreak in Daegu and Gyeongbuk in February and the recent nationwide outbreak. Deputy Head Park analyzed, "In February, the spread of infection was limited to one region, but now it is sporadically continuing not only in the metropolitan area but nationwide," and "The age group of confirmed cases has also shifted; at that time, people in their 20s accounted for 37% of all confirmed cases, but now those aged 60 and above account for 35%."

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