Confirmed Cases Surge in Medical Institutions, Restaurants, and Pubs... Emergency in Quarantine Measures

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] As the number of new domestic cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) rises to the 600s, quarantine authorities are on high alert. Infections are rapidly occurring not only in medical institutions but also in everyday places such as restaurants and pubs.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) on the 4th, in Seoul, related to the 'Pagoda Town' restaurant in Jongno-gu, after the first confirmed case occurred on the 28th of last month, 33 additional cases were confirmed during contact tracing, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 34.

The CDCH explained, "Restaurants with performance stages and insufficient mask-wearing by performers and audiences acted as risk factors for transmission."

Confirmed cases are also occurring consecutively in medical institutions. At a hospital located in Jungnang-gu, after the first patient was identified on the 2nd, 11 additional cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 12. Among them, 4 hospital staff, 5 patients, and 3 family members tested positive.

Regarding Ji-hye Hospital in Dongdaemun-gu, 3 additional cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 25.

In relation to the Korea University band club in Seongbuk-gu, 17 additional cases were confirmed during contact tracing, increasing the total to 35. The CDCH believes that the first patient (index case) in the band club visited two pubs located in Seosan-si, Chungnam Province, which led to further transmission.

In the Gangseo-gu dance class case, 21 additional cases were confirmed during contact tracing, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 240.

Infections are also rapidly occurring across the country. At Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital in Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 7 additional cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of positive cases to 21.

At a nursing hospital in Sasang-gu, Busan, 6 staff members tested positive on the 3rd as a result of proactive testing of nursing hospital workers, and patient-wide testing and contact tracing are underway. In the Busan and Ulsan Janggu class case, 6 additional cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 170.

At a daytime care center in Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam Province, after the first confirmed case on the 2nd, 18 additional cases were confirmed, increasing the total to 19. Among the confirmed cases, 5 are staff members and 14 are users.

Regarding a family in Dong-gu, Ulsan, 11 additional cases were confirmed since the 30th of last month, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 12.

On this day, Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters' quarantine team, stated, "Since infections are occurring not from a specific event or group but in various aspects of daily life, the spread is unlikely to subside easily." He added, "While mandatory gathering bans are necessary to block the spread through social distancing, if the public does not cooperate, it will be limited in stopping the spread," urging active participation in social distancing.

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