COVID-19 Infection Spread from Church... Daejeon City Applies Strengthened Social Distancing Level 1.5

On the 23rd, Heo Tae-jung, Mayor of Daejeon, held a briefing to explain the implementation of the strengthened social distancing level 1.5 and the changes. Provided by Daejeon City

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The spread of COVID-19 linked to churches continues in Daejeon. In response to the increase in confirmed cases, the Daejeon city government plans to implement a strengthened social distancing level 1.5.

According to Daejeon city on the 23rd, as of 9 a.m., the total number of new COVID-19 confirmed cases infected through Church A located in Yongsan-dong, Yuseong-gu is 60 (including 8 in Sejong).

In particular, as of 6 p.m. the previous day, 33 additional confirmed cases related to Church A were reported, increasing the number of new confirmed cases in the region by 50 and raising concerns about the spread of the infectious disease.

Currently, health authorities believe that the increase in confirmed cases started with B, a kindergarten teacher at Church A (Daejeon case number 2469).

B was infected with COVID-19 through a spouse (Daejeon case number 2447) who entered from Ukraine, and B then became the starting point for the spread of the infectious disease mainly among Church A members and their families, according to health authorities’ estimates.

Earlier, on the 20th, B was confirmed positive along with six children and a mother-in-law.

As COVID-19 cases surged in the region linked to the church, the city plans to adjust social distancing to a ‘strengthened level 1.5’.

The strengthened level 1.5 social distancing will be in effect from the 24th to the 30th of this month. During this period, multi-use facilities such as restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues, singing rooms, indoor sports facilities, and academies will be prohibited from operating from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. (takeout and delivery are allowed).

Additionally, gatherings and events are limited to fewer than 100 people, and religious facilities are restricted to 20% of total seating capacity only for regular worship services and masses.

Heo Tae-jeong, mayor of Daejeon, said, “To prevent further spread of COVID-19 in the region, a ‘time to pause’ is needed once again,” and urged, “I ask each citizen to participate in this ‘time to pause’ for the safety of themselves, their families, and the community.”

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