New Infections Spread Nationwide... 28.5% of Cases with Unknown Infection Routes

On the 27th, citizens are waiting to be tested at a temporary screening clinic for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) set up at Seoul Station Plaza. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] As the third wave of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continues in South Korea, confirmed cases are rapidly increasing across the country.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) on the 27th, new cluster infections were confirmed in Seoul and Incheon in the metropolitan area.

Regarding a nursing facility in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, after the first patient (index patient) was identified on the 24th of this month, 27 additional people tested positive by midnight of the same day. Among the total 28 cases, 15 are facility residents, 10 are staff including the index patient, and 3 are family members or acquaintances of confirmed cases.

In relation to a daycare center located in Namdong-gu, Incheon, after the first confirmed case on the 24th, 11 more tested positive during contact tracing. Among the total 12 cases, 5 are teachers including the index patient, 2 are children attending the center, and 5 are family members of confirmed cases.

Confirmed cases continue to emerge from existing cluster infection cases as well. In connection with the Eastern Seoul Detention Center, 8 additional cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 528.

Regarding a welfare facility for the disabled in Songpa-gu, after 6 residents and staff tested positive on the 25th, mass testing identified 34 more positive cases. Among the total 40 cases, 31 are residents, 8 are life guidance staff including the index patient, and 1 is an office worker.

In the case of a nursing hospital in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, 2 more tested positive, bringing the total to 86, and in relation to a hospital in Paju-si, 4 more cases were added, making the cumulative confirmed cases 49.

Outside the metropolitan area, new cluster infections were confirmed in Chungnam, Gyeongnam, and Gwangju. First, regarding a church in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, after the first patient was identified on the 24th, 32 additional cases were found during contact tracing. Among the total 33 confirmed cases, 24 are church members and 9 are their family members.

In Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam, 12 people tested positive after the 25th in relation to a gathering of acquaintances. Also, in Asan-si, Chungnam, 8 church members tested positive since the 23rd, and in Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk, 9 church members tested positive since the 24th.

Among existing infection cases, 22 additional infections were confirmed during contact tracing related to a nursing home in Buk-gu, Gwangju, increasing the total confirmed cases to 51.

Regarding a food store and restaurant in Cheonan-si, Chungnam, 10 more tested positive, bringing the total to 57. In relation to three hospitals in Goesan, Eumseong, and Jincheon counties in Chungbuk, 26 more tested positive, increasing the total confirmed cases to 214.

Meanwhile, the proportion of patients with 'unknown infection routes,' whose time and place of infection are not known, remained in the 28% range for two consecutive days. Among 14,109 new confirmed cases reported from the 14th of this month to the present, 4,021 cases are still under investigation for infection routes, accounting for 28.5% of the total. This is 0.1 percentage points lower than the previous day (28.6%).

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