Has the UK Variant Spread in Ulsan... "It May Have Some Impact on the Spread"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Health authorities have stated that they are analyzing the situation with a focus on the possibility that the increase in COVID-19 cases in the Ulsan region was influenced by the UK variant.

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), said at the regular briefing of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters on the 29th, "According to reports from other countries, the UK variant virus is said to increase transmissibility by 1.7 times, so we believe there is a possibility that it has had some impact," adding, "Ulsan City and the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters are cooperating to discuss measures to control the outbreak."

As of midnight on the 29th, the number of new COVID-19 cases in the Ulsan region was 46, the highest among metropolitan local governments outside the Seoul metropolitan area. The average daily number of confirmed cases over the past week in the Gyeongnam region, including Ulsan, Busan, and Gyeongnam, was 113.3, the highest among non-metropolitan areas.

Among the 535 confirmed cases of infection with the "three major variants" managed by health authorities?the UK, South African, and Brazilian variants (as of the 27th)?the UK variant accounted for the largest number with 464 cases. Additionally, among the 615 "epidemiologically related persons," who are considered de facto variant infections due to epidemiological links with confirmed variant cases, 611 were related to the UK variant. This accounts for 93.5% (1,075 people) of the total 1,150 individuals effectively managed as variant infections by the authorities.

Notably, all seven cluster infection cases of variants reported over the past week on the 27th were related to the UK variant. Among these, a total of 72 UK variant infections, including epidemiologically related persons, were confirmed in the Yeongnam region from three cases: the Ulsan Jung-gu call center (49 people), acquaintances and lectures in the Yeongnam region (20 people), and the Ulsan Jung-gu daytime care center (3 people).

Based on these analysis results, Commissioner Jung stated, "The UK variant was frequently isolated in cluster outbreaks in the Ulsan region," and assessed that the UK variant virus is "estimated to have some influence on the recent spread in the Yeongnam region."

Commissioner Jung explained, "We are increasing the number of screening clinics to expand testing, conducting tests on daily contacts as well as close contacts after the 14-day observation period ends, and strengthening testing management for high-risk facilities. We are implementing more intensive measures in close cooperation with the Ulsan region."

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