Two-Hour Worship in a Confined Space, Singing Without Masks... Successive Church Cluster Infections (Comprehensive)

On the morning of the 6th, when the metropolitan area was under Social Distancing Level 2, worshippers who finished the service at Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul were leaving the sanctuary.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] A church in Dangjin, Chungnam recently held an in-person prayer meeting together with several churches from other regions. About 50 people gathered in a poorly ventilated enclosed space and engaged in praise and loud prayer for around two hours. Despite health authorities reducing or banning in-person worship services due to the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), and prohibiting services that generate many droplets, this was violated. The church did not have a designated quarantine manager, and social distancing and mask-wearing were insufficient.

The cluster infection related to this church spread to welfare facilities within the same area, as well as to nearby churches and prayer centers in other regions. As of the 15th, the confirmed cumulative cases reached 104. Among them, 43 were church members from the Dangjin church, and 10 were family, acquaintances, and colleagues, totaling 53 people. Six people were confirmed positive at welfare facilities related to this church. Prayer centers in Seosan and churches in Daejeon, where more than 20 people were infected, were also found to be linked to the Dangjin church according to epidemiological investigations.

At Yeongsin Church located in Dasa-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, a cluster of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has occurred, and access to the church has been restricted since the 11th.

Religious facilities have strict quarantine rules due to concerns about infection spread, but recent cluster outbreaks have increased as these rules were not properly followed. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, there have been 10 cluster outbreaks related to religious facilities this month alone, with a cumulative total of 547 confirmed cases (as of the 14th). The health authorities' analysis revealed that many activities generating droplets (saliva) were conducted in poorly ventilated enclosed environments, including sharing meals, which greatly increased the risk of infection spread.

In other religious facilities, many were infected during the preparation process for events. Although basic rules such as keeping entry logs and monitoring symptoms were followed, cluster outbreaks occurred when masks were removed during choir practice or when meals and refreshments were shared after church events.

On the 14th, citizens waiting to be tested visited the screening clinic set up at the Gangseo-gu Public Health Center in Seoul, where a cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) occurred at a church in Gangseo-gu. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Shincheonji and Sarang Jeil Large-Scale Cluster Outbreaks
Over 500 Infections in 10 Cases This Month

Previously, virus introduction into religious facilities such as Shincheonji Church of Jesus (5,213 cases), the largest domestic cluster outbreak, and Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul (1,173 cases), the second largest, often led to large-scale cluster outbreaks. Recently, both large and small cluster infections have steadily emerged, including at Hongdae Saegyo Church in Mapo, Seoul (163 cases), Seongseok Church in Gangseo (168 cases), Banseok Church in Busan (48 cases), and Yeongshin Church in Dalseong-gun, Daegu (47 cases, as of the 15th).

At a briefing that day, Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Director of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, emphasized, "Currently, the metropolitan area is under social distancing level 2.5, and all religious activities such as worship services, masses, Buddhist ceremonies, and Shinto rituals must be conducted non-face-to-face. The number of personnel involved in producing videos for non-face-to-face services is limited to 20 or fewer. All in-person meetings or activities, events organized by religious facilities?including retreats, prayer meetings, revival meetings, choir rehearsals?and the provision of food or group meals at all events are prohibited."

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