Newly Emerging Group Infections... Increasing in Scale

Accumulated Confirmed Cases at Gangnam Dance Studio in Seoul Reach 18
28.8% of Patients Responded 'Unknown Infection Source' in the Past Two Weeks

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] As COVID-19 resurges, new cluster infections have been reported at dance studios, restaurants, karaoke rooms, daycare centers, and entertainment bars.

On the 25th, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) announced that since the first confirmed case at a dance studio in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 22nd of last month, 17 additional cases have been confirmed. Among the total 18 cases, 4 are academy staff, 12 are students, and 2 are acquaintances.

Cluster infections have also occurred in other group settings. At a restaurant in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, and a karaoke room in Songpa-gu, since the first confirmed cases on the 20th of last month, the number of confirmed cases has increased to 15 and 13 respectively.

At a daycare center in Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province, after a teacher was confirmed positive on the 21st of last month, 2 fellow teachers, 3 children, and 5 family members were additionally confirmed. In an entertainment bar in Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, a total of 17 confirmed cases have been reported since the 21st of last month. Health authorities believe the entertainment bar staff were infected by users of a senior welfare center.

The scale of cluster infections is also growing. In the metropolitan area, 3 additional confirmed cases related to a daytime care center in Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi Province were reported yesterday, bringing the total to 55. Confirmed cases related to the Navy landing ship ‘Gojunbong’ increased by 1 to a total of 34, all of whom are military personnel.

Outside the metropolitan area, cluster infections have also expanded. Regarding the cluster infection at a senior welfare center in Yeonje-gu, Busan, 3 additional confirmed cases were identified during contact tracing, increasing the total to 66. At an elementary school in Buk-gu, Ulsan, 8 additional cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 37. Confirmed cases are also rising at a church in Goesan-gun, Chungbuk (total 29), a restaurant in Gunsan-si, Jeonbuk (8), a real estate agency in Gunsan-si, Gyeongbuk (11), and a company in Nam-gu, Ulsan (10).

Meanwhile, the proportion of patients with unknown infection routes was 28.8%. Among 9,333 newly confirmed cases reported to health authorities over the past two weeks from the 12th to today, the infection routes of 2,687 patients have yet to be identified.

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