17 New COVID-19 Cases in Three Days... Jeju Island Faces Dilemma Over Social Distancing Upgrade

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters (Jeju) Reporter Park Chang-won] The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is on alert as 17 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed over the past three days.

According to Jeju Province on the 10th, a total of 17 local cases have been confirmed from the 8th until 1 p.m. on the same day.

This accounts for about 70% of the total confirmed cases (25) reported so far this month.

This rate of spread is steep compared to the 20 cases reported in August and 22 cases in November.

The infection routes of the confirmed cases in Jeju over the past three days are classified into three categories: Hanbaekseon Church (a cooperating church of Jeju Seongan Church), the district heads and community leaders of Jinju, Gyeongnam, and overseas entrants.

Specifically, among the 17 confirmed cases, 6 are related to the church, 7 to the Jinju district heads and community leaders, and 4 are overseas entrants.

In particular, the church-related cases are spreading around patient number 92 in Jeju, a pastor of the cooperating church of Jeju Seongan Church, through family, church, and workplace contacts.

Patient 92 is understood by health authorities to have visited Seongan Church located in Ara-dong, Jeju City, on the 5th and 6th, before being confirmed positive, after visiting the Seoul metropolitan area on the 1st.

Regarding the Jinju district heads and community leaders in Gyeongnam, 7 additional cases have been confirmed over the past three days, continuing the chain of infections. The total number of confirmed cases related to the district heads and community leaders is 14.

Among these 14, infections were traced to family members of confirmed patients or workers in the same industry, such as massage shops visited by the district heads and community leaders.

Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong said at a briefing held in the press room on the same day in response to a reporter's question about whether the social distancing level would be raised from the Jeju-type level 1.5, “It is under review.” He stated that the decision will be made after monitoring the local spread.

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