Eunpyeong-gu Launches Strong Quarantine Measures to Find 'Hidden Infected'

Among approximately 680,000 people in their 20s, an estimated 14,800 have antibodies... Caution Needed for Transmission to Older Age Groups Through Infection Among Family Members of the Same Generation

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced its strong commitment to implementing robust quarantine measures, considering the possibility of 'hidden infected individuals,' based on the antibody test results conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

On the 23rd, the KDCA announced that among 6,859 conscripts tested for COVID-19 antibodies in September and October, 25 tested positive.

Excluding 10 cases who had previously been confirmed COVID-19 patients, received treatment, and recovered, the test results show that about 0.22% of the tested individuals, 15 people, possess antibodies.

This figure is approximately three times higher than the 0.07% antibody prevalence found among 1,379 participants in the 3rd Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the KDCA.

The daily domestic confirmed cases, which had been on the rise since early November, reached 386 on November 21, indicating the need for stronger quarantine policies once again.

The high antibody prevalence in certain age groups suggests that the resurgence pattern may be linked to asymptomatic transmission?that is, so-called 'hidden infected individuals' who were infected with COVID-19 without symptoms and thus did not get tested, quietly passing through the infection.

Using the resident registration population statistics (as of October 2020) announced by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and applying the antibody prevalence rate to the entire population in their 20s, it is estimated that approximately 14,800 out of 6,802,784 people in their 20s possess antibodies.

Applying the same method to Eunpyeong-gu’s population of 67,008 people in their 20s, it is possible that there are about 146 healthy 'hidden infected individuals' in the district.

Meanwhile, in the COVID-19 confirmed case statistical analysis announced by Eunpyeong-gu on October 14, the proportion of confirmed cases aged 60 and over was 39.5%, and those in their 20s accounted for 11.3%. However, after the resurgence of COVID-19 in November, the proportion of confirmed cases in their 20s increased to 14.8%, while those aged 60 and over decreased to 33.7%, showing a significant rise in cases among people in their 20s.

According to the regular briefing materials from the KDCA, considering that the number of confirmed cases is highest among people in their 20s and 50s, there is concern about transmission to older age groups through family infections within the same generation.

The rapidly increasing spread of COVID-19 is fatal to the elderly aged 60 and above.

According to the KDCA’s regular briefing on domestic occurrences on the 21st, out of 503 domestic COVID-19 deaths, 474 (94.2%) were elderly aged 60 or older. The fatality rate increases with age: while the fatality rate is below 0.5% for those under 40, it rises to 1.28% for those in their 60s, 6.66% for those in their 70s, and sharply increases to 19.36% for those aged 80 and above.

Eunpyeong-gu reported a fatality rate of 25% among those aged 80 and above in its local COVID-19 statistics.

Eunpyeong-gu’s COVID-19 quarantine measures are being carried out with greater precision. When confirmed cases emerge in middle and high schools, epidemiological investigations are immediately conducted, and even those with weak contact, such as classmates or teachers in the same classroom, are promptly tested.

Additionally, strict inspections are conducted to ensure compliance with quarantine rules at facilities frequently used by young people, such as cafes and study cafes. Regular diagnostic testing every two weeks will also be proactively conducted for workers at elderly care facilities.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, stated, “Eunpyeong-gu has a large elderly population, and we are fully committed to responding to the COVID-19 resurgence and quarantine efforts in the community. We can prevent the spread of infectious diseases by adhering to personal quarantine rules such as hand washing, wearing masks, and social distancing. We especially ask young residents in their 20s who live with family members aged 60 and above or work in elderly hospitals or care facilities to strictly follow personal quarantine guidelines.”

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