Cumulative Confirmed Cases at Dongbu Detention Center Reach 1,084... Cluster Infection Spreads (Comprehensive)

As the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continues in South Korea, medical staff are collecting samples at the temporary screening clinic at Seoul Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 3rd. On the same day, the Central Disease Control Headquarters announced that as of midnight, 657 new confirmed cases were reported, bringing the total to 63,244. The number of cases in the 600s was recorded for the first time in 23 days since December 11th (689 cases). However, this is due to a significant decrease in the number of diagnostic tests during the New Year's holiday (January 1?3) compared to the previous weekdays, so it is too early to conclude that the spread has slowed down. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] On the 3rd, new cases of COVID-19 infections are continuing across the country.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH), as of midnight on this day, 126 additional infections related to the Dongbu Detention Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul, were confirmed, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1,084. Among the 126 new confirmed cases, 4 were transferred from Dongbu Detention Center to Gangwon Northern Prison.

Of the 1,084 cases, 1,041 are inmates, 22 are staff members, 20 are family members, and 1 is an acquaintance.

The Dongbu Detention Center cases represent the third largest cluster infection in South Korea, following the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji, 5,213 cases) and the Sarang Jeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul (1,173 cases).

In the metropolitan area, confirmed cases continued mainly around existing cluster infection cases. Related to Miso-deul Nursing Hospital and Nursing Home in Guro-gu, Seoul, 6 additional cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 206.

New cluster outbreaks linked to nursing hospitals or religious facilities were also identified.

First, related to a nursing hospital in Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, after the first confirmed case (index patient) on the 1st, 9 people tested positive consecutively during contact tracing. Of the total 10 cases, 6 are staff, 3 are patients, and 1 is a staff family member. At a church in Suji-gu, Yongin-si, a total of 28 people, including 22 church members, were infected, and an epidemiological investigation is underway.

At a church in Chungju-si, Chungbuk Province, a total of 25 people have been infected since the 31st of last month. Among them, 4 are the index patient and their family, 6 are the pastor’s family, and 15 are church members.

At a church in Changwon-si, Gyeongnam Province, 11 people, including church members and their families, were confirmed positive. Additionally, related to a senior health center in Yeongdo-gu, Busan, 2 more confirmed cases were added, bringing the total to 59.

Meanwhile, over the past two weeks, the proportion of cases with unknown infection routes?where the time and place of infection are not known?remained at around 26%.

From the 21st of last month to this day, among the 13,584 newly reported confirmed cases to the health authorities, 3,621 cases are still under investigation for infection routes, accounting for 26.7% of the total. This is a 0.4 percentage point increase compared to the previous day (26.3%).

Also, related to a welfare facility for the disabled located in Songpa-gu, 11 more confirmed cases were added, bringing the total to 71. In the case of the Rosen Delivery Icheon Logistics Center in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, 13 additional cases tested positive, bringing the cumulative confirmed cases to 97.

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