Two Additional COVID-19 Cases Confirmed in Hamyang... Secondary Infections Begin from Restaurant or Taxi Driver

Two Possible Infection Route Scenarios
① Estimated Route: Taxi Drivers (2) ⇒ 'Joeun Sikdang' Owner ⇒ Employees ⇒ Delivery Driver
② Estimated Route: Joeun Sikdang Owner ⇒ Taxi Drivers & Employees ⇒ Colleague Drivers & Delivery Driver

On the morning of the 12th, the Hamyang Market Day was held at Jirisan Hamyang Market in Hamyang-gun, Gyeongnam. The Hamyang Market opened from early morning but was soon closed within the morning, causing a happening. [Image source=Seobu Gyeongnam Newspaper]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo, Hamyang=Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] On the morning of the 14th, two additional COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Hamyang, Gyeongnam.

The total number of COVID-19 cases transmitted through Hamyang 'taxi drivers' or 'restaurants' has now increased to six. The infection route of the recently spreading cases in Hamyang is still unclear as to whether the restaurant owner or the taxi driver was infected first.

According to Gyeongnam health authorities and local residents, the two confirmed cases on this day include one Hanjin Courier driver and one employee of 'Joeun Restaurant,' operated by a woman in her 50s who is the fourth confirmed case in Hamyang (Gyeongnam case number 267). The confirmed patients were transferred to Masan Medical Center.

The health authorities estimate that the infection route on this day spread from the owner of 'Joeun Restaurant' to the employee and then to the Hanjin Courier driver.

Since the domestic COVID-19 outbreak, Hamyang, which had only one patient until recently and was considered a 'clean' area, reported two cases on the 11th, two on the 12th, and two more confirmed cases on this day, raising alarms for the quarantine authorities.

Since the first confirmed case on the 11th from a Hamyang 'Jirisan Taxi' driver, infections have been confirmed in four people including fellow drivers and the restaurant owner used by the taxi drivers by the 12th. On this day, an employee of the restaurant operated by the fourth confirmed case in Hamyang was also confirmed positive. Infection originating from the taxi driver or Joeun Restaurant has emerged as a new trigger for n-th generation infections in the Hamyang area.

Hamyang County announced an elevation to social distancing level '2.5' immediately after the confirmation of the second taxi driver case on the 11th but revised it to 'strengthened level 2' on the same day, drawing criticism for inconsistent responses.

On the 12th, the market day in Hamyang, a safety text message was sent around 10:53 a.m. announcing the sudden closure of the Jirisan Hamyang Market. However, merchants had already set up their stalls and stands, and residents had gathered to shop. Hamyang market days are known as 'Ichiljang' (market days ending in 2 or 7).

In contrast, Inwol Market in Namwon, Jeonbuk, located about a 10-minute drive from Hamyang Market, was urgently closed from the afternoon of the 11th.

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