29 Confirmed Cases Among Gyeongju Citizens: 80% Linked to Multi-Level Marketing Salespeople

Continuous Surge of Confirmed Cases in Gyeongju Area Since September 11
40s Female Patient No. 82 Causes 23 Secondary Infections
Two Others Confirmed After Four Retests on the 3rd Also Contacted Patient No. 82

Joo Nak-young, Mayor of Gyeongju City, delivering a video briefing on the local spread of COVID-19.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] In Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, a multi-level marketing company salesperson has drawn attention after being identified as a super spreader of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to the Gyeongju Public Health Center on the 4th, as of midnight on the 4th, there are 23 confirmed cases directly or indirectly related to a woman in her 40s living in Yonggang-dong, Gyeongju, who tested positive on September 19. This accounts for 80% of the 29 community infection cases recorded in Gyeongju up to midnight on the 3rd since September.

In Gyeongju, confirmed cases have continued almost daily since a participant of the Chilgok Wild Ginseng (Jangnoe-sam) business briefing tested positive on September 11. Except for three individuals related to wild ginseng and confirmed cases linked to Neulpureun Nursing Hospital, most confirmed cases are epidemiologically connected directly or indirectly to multi-level marketing company salespersons, according to health authorities.

The individuals in their 50s and 60s in Gyeongju who tested positive on the 3rd had contact with patient number 82. After four tests since the 27th, these two were finally confirmed positive. Their CT (Cycle Threshold) values, which measure viral load and concentration, hovered on the borderline between positive and negative over three tests, leading to repeated retesting.

A Gyeongju Public Health Center official stated, "During the epidemiological investigation, many confirmed cases were found to be directly or indirectly linked to patient number 82, but no evidence of gatherings among the related multi-level marketing salespersons has been identified." They added, "We are continuing to trace and investigate contacts based on confirmed patients' mobile phone GPS (satellite tracking system) data."

Meanwhile, as of midnight on the 4th, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the Gyeongju area stands at 98 (97 according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency). The third confirmed case in Gyeongju was transferred to the Daegu area and is included in Daegu's confirmed case statistics according to the KDCA's calculation guidelines.

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