Easing Social Distancing... Over 600 Cases of Cluster Infections for Two Consecutive Days

Hospital and Manufacturing Plant Infections on Alert... Experts "Actively Consider Raising the Alert Level"

On the 17th, health authorities conducted comprehensive testing of workers at Jingwan Industrial Complex in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, where a COVID-19 cluster infection occurred, in front of a company within the complex. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] The number of COVID-19 confirmed cases remained in the 600s for the second consecutive day. Triple-digit confirmed cases emerged through cluster infections in manufacturing factories and hospitals, and 'n-th wave infections' continued mainly among family members and acquaintances who had contact with employees. The rapid increase in confirmed cases after the Lunar New Year holiday has also put a brake on the government's plan to ease social distancing measures.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 18th, as of midnight, the number of confirmed cases was 621, the same as the previous day. There were 590 domestic cases and 31 imported cases. By region, Seoul had 179 cases, Gyeonggi 237, and Incheon 16, with the metropolitan area accounting for 432 cases, or 73.2% of domestic cases.

In particular, cluster infections continue to occur in large workplaces, religious facilities, and medical institutions. At a plastic manufacturing factory in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, a total of 115 people were confirmed positive as of the afternoon of the previous day, and 129 people have been confirmed in bulk so far at the Kiturami Boiler factory in Asan, Chungnam Province.

The scale of infection increased due to the '3Cs' work environment?crowded, close-contact, and confined spaces?along with not wearing masks and shared dormitory living among foreign workers. The quarantine authorities have closed the workplaces and are conducting tests on about 1,200 employees of nearby companies.

Kwon Deok-cheol, the first deputy head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare), said at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held that day, "Although there are workplace quarantine rules, the biggest problem is that they are not being well followed," and added, "The government will mobilize all related agencies to proactively conduct intensive inspections of workplaces with 3Cs or those with many foreign workers."

Infections in medical institutions are also in a critical state. At Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 23 additional patients, caregivers, and workers were confirmed positive the previous day, bringing the total number of infections to 140.

Park Young-jun, head of the epidemiological investigation team at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Central Disease Control Headquarters, explained, "The confirmed cases at Soonchunhyang University Hospital are more accurately seen as cases identified through mass testing in an already exposed situation rather than re-exposure through additional transmission." In other words, the additional confirmed cases were exposed to the virus before the Lunar New Year but were diagnosed late, meaning the number of additional infections could increase in the future.

Professor Lee Jae-gap of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital pointed out, "The increase in hospital-acquired infections indicates that community infections have not subsided," and added, "Patients who have not been confirmed visit hospitals due to symptom onset, and the damage can spread not only to other patients in the hospital but also to nursing hospitals, potentially leading to an increase in mortality."

Professor Lee emphasized, "If the pattern of increasing migrant confirmed cases continues, it should be considered the start of the fourth wave," and stressed, "Active consideration of raising social distancing measures is necessary."

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