COVID-19 Spread Centered in the Seoul Metropolitan Area... 30.3% of Infection Routes 'Under Investigation' Over Two Weeks

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] COVID-19 is spreading mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) on the 10th, new cluster infection cases linked to cafes, karaoke rooms, pubs, medical institutions, and construction sites have been confirmed in the metropolitan area.

Regarding a cafe located in Ansan-si, Gyeonggi Province, since the first confirmed case occurred on the 26th of last month, a total of 18 people including visitors, workers, their acquaintances, and family members tested positive.

At a karaoke room in Bucheon-si (second case), a total of 13 people have been confirmed positive and are under treatment as of the previous day, and at a pub located in Seo-gu, Incheon, a total of 21 people including users, workers, and acquaintances tested positive.

The number of confirmed cases in existing cluster infection cases in the metropolitan area continues to increase. Related to the Hyundai Department Store Trade Center branch in Seoul (23rd workplace case in Gangnam-gu), 13 additional people tested positive during contact tracing, raising the cumulative confirmed cases to 104 as of midnight on that day. Among them, 78 are workers, 14 visitors, 8 family members, 3 acquaintances, and 1 other.

Regarding a restaurant in Yeongdeungpo-gu (third case), 18 additional cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 53. The cumulative confirmed cases of the cluster infection that spread from a restaurant in Mapo-gu, Seoul to eight English academies in the metropolitan area reached 355, an increase of 27 from the previous announcement.

Meanwhile, in the past two weeks, about 3 out of 10 patients did not know when or where they were infected. From the 27th of last month to this day, 12,265 new COVID-19 cases were reported to the health authorities, among which 3,712 cases (30.3%) have an unknown infection route. This figure is the highest since the authorities began compiling related statistics in April last year.

The number of confirmed cases presumed to have been infected after contact with a prior confirmed case was 5,620, accounting for 45.8%.

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