47 Confirmed Cases at Daejeon Doan Taekwondo Academy... Considering Raising Social Distancing Level

Citizens are waiting to receive COVID-19 diagnostic tests at a temporary screening clinic set up outdoors. The photo is unrelated to the article. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] At a Taekwondo academy located in Doan-dong, Daejeon, 47 people including students and their parents tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Daejeon City on the 19th, at Taekwondo Academy A, the head instructor was first confirmed positive on the 17th, followed by all students and their parents testing positive en masse the next day (18th).

Taekwondo Academy A has been operating two training centers in a commercial area of an apartment complex in Doan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, and it is presumed that a cluster infection occurred as students engaged in close-contact activities in a confined space.

The confirmed cases include 26 elementary school students, the largest group, 6 kindergarteners, 5 daycare children, 2 middle school students, 1 university student, 3 staff members of Taekwondo Academy A, and 4 secondary infections among family members of the confirmed cases.

Currently, the city and the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education are conducting comprehensive testing for members of all educational institutions attended by the confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, a total of 72 new confirmed cases were reported in Daejeon the previous day, including those related to Taekwondo Academy A. This is the largest number since the IM Mission cluster infection (125 cases) on January 24.

Recently, the average daily number of new confirmed cases in Daejeon has exceeded 40, and the city is reportedly considering raising social distancing to “enhanced level 3,” equivalent to level 4, and restricting private gatherings to two people after 6 p.m.

A city official stated, “As COVID-19 is rapidly spreading in the region, we are considering adjusting social distancing to level 3 or higher,” adding, “The decision on raising the distancing level will be made after consultations with the five districts, no later than the 22nd of this month.”

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