Small-scale infection spread continues in Incheon... 60 confirmed cases

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] On the 17th, Incheon City announced that 60 people, including 3 public officials, tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Among them, 31 were contacts of previously confirmed cases, and 12 were confirmed cases related to small-scale cluster infections within the region. Additionally, 2 people tested positive after entering the country from overseas, and the infection routes of the remaining 15 new confirmed cases are under investigation.

Public official A from Bupyeong-gu tested negative in the full inspection conducted within the district office but showed suspected COVID-19 symptoms while waiting at home, underwent retesting, and was confirmed positive. In Bupyeong-gu, including A, a total of 12 public officials tested positive, comprising 10 district office employees and 2 employees from Samsan 1-dong and Sipjeong 2-dong Administrative Welfare Centers.

A’s family member, public official B from Seo-gu, was also included in the confirmed cases list on the same day. Working on the 4th floor of the Seo-gu Office building, B was classified as a contact after A’s confirmation, underwent specimen testing, and tested positive. Seo-gu notified 99 employees working on the same floor as B not to come to work and to get tested for COVID-19. Furthermore, the office of B’s department was closed, and 26 employees from the same department were instructed to self-isolate.

Two employees working at the Incheon Metropolitan Police Agency’s 117 School Violence Reporting Center were tested at a temporary screening clinic the day before and were confirmed positive on this day. They are contract counselors dispatched from the Ministry of Education and were reportedly asymptomatic at the time of testing.

Confirmed cases related to small-scale cluster infections such as nursing homes and beauty salons continue to increase. Regarding the nursing home cluster in Bupyeong-gu, where a recent outbreak occurred, 3 additional people tested positive on this day, bringing the total confirmed cases related to this cluster to 38. One more infection was added related to a beauty salon in Namdong-gu, raising the total confirmed cases to 26.

At a newly classified cluster infection site, a cleaning service company in Yeonsu-gu, 4 more people were infected, increasing the total confirmed cases to 15. Regarding a health functional food company in Michuhol-gu, where 9 cases have occurred since the 9th, 3 additional people tested positive, bringing the total confirmed cases to 12.

New confirmed cases by region on this day were 27 in Bupyeong-gu, 14 in Seo-gu, 7 in Namdong-gu, 5 in Yeonsu-gu, 3 in Michuhol-gu, 2 in Gyeyang-gu, and 2 in Jung-gu. As of the previous day, 24 out of 25 intensive care beds dedicated to severe patients in Incheon City were in use. Of the 444 infectious disease-dedicated beds in Incheon City, 201 were occupied, with an operating rate of 45.3%. Three residential treatment centers with a total capacity of 450 people housed 308 patients, showing an operating rate of 68.4%. As of this day, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Incheon area stands at 2,132.

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