Another Cluster Infection Outbreak? 8th Round of Testing Including Female Inmates Underway

Female Inmate with Voice Disorder Transferred to New Daegu Prison... Concerns Over Inmate Transfer Measures

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] A female inmate at Seoul Eastern Detention Center, where a cluster infection in correctional facilities began, has tested positive for the first time. She had tested negative in the previous 1st to 5th full-scale tests and had no external contact, making epidemiological investigation difficult. There are concerns that an additional cluster infection could occur.

According to the Ministry of Justice as of 8 a.m. on the 11th, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in correctional facilities nationwide is 1,225. There has been no change compared to the previous day, with 1,179 inmates including those released and 46 correctional facility staff members.

By institution, the number of confirmed inmates is highest at Eastern Detention Center with 668 cases. This is followed by Gyeongbuk Northern 2 Prison with 333, Gwangju Prison with 16, Seoul Southern Detention Center with 17, Seoul Detention Center with 1, and Gangwon Northern Prison with 3.

The issue is that the first female confirmed case appeared in the 7th full-scale test. Female inmates had tested negative in the 1st to 5th full-scale tests and were all excluded from the 6th test. However, this inmate tested positive in the 7th test, indicating there was an asymptomatic period.

The Ministry of Justice isolated the confirmed inmate and three others who lived with her in single rooms and transferred about 250 female inmates who tested negative, excluding direct and indirect contacts and those with underlying conditions, to the newly built Daegu Prison the day before. An 8th full-scale test is also planned. About 300 inmates from Eastern Detention Center, including the transferred female inmates, will also undergo testing at Daegu Prison.

The Ministry of Justice believes that the overall spread has been curbed as the number of confirmed cases has continued to decrease in the full-scale tests conducted up to the 7th at Eastern Detention Center. In fact, after the first confirmed case on November 27 last year, the 1st full-scale test was conducted on December 18 targeting 2,844 inmates and staff, identifying 187 confirmed cases. Subsequent tests found 300 cases on the 2nd test on the 23rd, 260 on the 3rd, 140 on the 4th, 127 on the 5th, 66 on the 6th, and 13 on the 7th, showing a decreasing trend in confirmed cases.

However, if additional infections occur among female inmates in the 8th test, it could become another factor for cluster infection. Moreover, if confirmed cases emerge among the approximately 250 female inmates who tested negative and were transferred to Daegu Prison, it could disrupt the transfer measures for correctional facilities. Previously, the Ministry of Justice announced plans to conduct full-scale COVID-19 tests across correctional facilities nationwide and transfer inmates who have not been in contact with confirmed cases to Daegu Prison.

The Ministry cannot avoid criticism that there has been another gap in quarantine measures. The Ministry excluded female inmates from the 6th full-scale test because there had been no confirmed female cases in five previous tests at Eastern Detention Center and because female inmates were completely separated from male inmates, but a confirmed case appeared immediately in the 7th test.

Meanwhile, as the third wave of COVID-19 in Korea has somewhat subsided, the number of new confirmed cases dropped to the mid-400s on this day. After maintaining the 600s for three consecutive days from the 8th to the 10th, the number fell to the 400s. The number of new confirmed cases in the 400s is the first time in 41 days since the 1st of last month, just before the spread of this wave intensified.

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