129 Cumulative COVID-19 Cases at Gitturami Factory... Concerns Over Secondary Infection Spread

Kiturami Boiler Asan Factory
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] The spread of a COVID-19 cluster infection at the Asan Giddu-rami Boiler factory in Chungnam continues.

While mass testing of 641 employees has been completed and the number of confirmed cases among employees is showing signs of stabilization, secondary infections among their families and acquaintances are sporadically continuing.

According to Chungnam Province and Asan City on the 17th, 8 more confirmed cases related to the Giddu-rami Boiler factory were reported in Chungnam Province alone that day.

The cumulative total so far has reached 129 people (including 5 family members from Daejeon). 102 employees have tested positive, and 27 family members and acquaintances have also been infected. Among the employees, 9 were tested and confirmed positive in other regions.

The first confirmed case at this factory occurred on the 13th, during the Lunar New Year holiday.

It is reported that many employees, unaware of this fact, visited their hometowns during the holiday and met with family and acquaintances. Some employees were tested in their hometowns and later confirmed positive.

In Daegu, Gyeongsan, Chuncheon, Osan, and other areas, 9 confirmed cases of Asan Giddu-rami Boiler factory employees were reported. On the same day, 6 confirmed cases occurred in Daejeon, of which 5 were family members of Giddu-rami factory employees met during the Lunar New Year holiday.

In Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, 2 people who had contact with 3 factory employees during the holiday were confirmed positive. Although family members of Giddu-rami factory employees were confirmed infected in Daegu, Siheung in Gyeonggi, and Busan, they are not included in the overall cumulative count.

Health authorities are also on alert as about 20 foreigners are among the confirmed cases. In Chungnam, there was a previous outbreak centered on foreign workers at a Thai food store in Cheonan and a poultry processing plant in Dangjin.

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