Clusters of Infections Emerge in Sports Facilities, Daycare Centers, Workplaces... 77 Cases at Songpa Garak Market

Jungdaebon "Garag Market Workers and Visitors Must Get Tested from August 25 to September 9"
23 Cases at Gangdong Indoor Sports Facilities... Continuous Confirmed Cases at Daycare Centers in Paju and Namyang

On the 9th, as the spread of COVID-19 continues mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area, citizens are waiting to get tested at the screening clinic of Mapo-gu Public Health Center in Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] As the fourth wave of COVID-19 continues for over two months, confirmed cases are surging across the country.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) on the 11th, new infection cases have emerged linked to various everyday spaces and gatherings such as indoor sports facilities, construction sites, day care centers, general hospitals, and families.

Regarding an indoor sports facility in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, since the 4th, employees, users, family members, and acquaintances have consecutively tested positive, with the cumulative number of confirmed cases reaching 23.

In Incheon, seven employees at an insurance company located in Seo-gu tested positive, and at a construction company in Yeonsu-gu, seven employees have tested positive since the 5th of this month, with epidemiological investigations underway.

In Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province, 10 users of a day care center tested positive, classified as a new infection case.

Regarding another day care center (the second case) in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, as of the previous day, a total of 16 people, including three employees and 13 users, tested positive. According to the city health authorities, the related confirmed cases increased to 18 as of the morning of this day.

The scale of existing cluster infections in the metropolitan area is also steadily growing.

Regarding the Garak Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market in Songpa-gu, Seoul, confirmed cases have been reported consecutively, totaling 77 as of midnight today. Among them, 74 are employees and three are their family members.

Additionally, confirmed cases related to an indoor sports facility in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul (third case, cumulative 51), and an academy in Seo-gu, Incheon (11 cases) have also been added.

On the 8th, when the number of new COVID-19 cases in South Korea reached the 2,000s, the temporary screening clinic in front of Seoul City Hall was crowded with citizens seeking tests. A record high of 1,476 cases was reported in the metropolitan area, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon. The daily number of confirmed cases has remained in the four digits for 64 consecutive days since the 7th of last month (1,211 cases). Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

Cluster infections continue in various non-metropolitan areas as well.

Regarding a general hospital in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, a total of 16 people, including patients, caregivers, nurses, and staff, tested positive since the 7th.

At a study room in Asan-si, Chungnam Province, nine people, including six students, tested positive, and new infection chains were confirmed at an indoor sports facility (6 cases) and a fishing gathering (8 cases) in Cheongju-si, Chungbuk Province.

Additional infection cases have been reported at an entrance exam academy in Seo-gu, Daejeon (29 cases), and a rest restaurant in Yesan-gun, Chungnam Province (31 cases).

The number of confirmed cases related to a middle school in Gwangyang-si, Jeonnam Province, has increased to 38.

In Jeonbuk Province, confirmed cases continued among foreign workers in Gunsan-si (30 cases) and entertainment facilities in Jeonju-si (23 cases).

In the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, confirmed cases have been reported mainly among contacts of existing infection cases, including a restaurant in Seo-gu (second case, 31 cases), entertainment facilities in Jung-gu (19 cases), a church in Gumi-si (49 cases), and a university in Gyeongju-si (32 cases).

Confirmed cases related to companies and religious facilities in Geoje-si, Gyeongnam Province, increased by three to a cumulative 26, and the scale of infections also grew in a nursing hospital in Nam-gu, Ulsan (26 cases) and childcare and educational facilities in Yangsan-si (54 cases).

In Yanggu-gun, Gangwon Province, a total of 12 people, including three acquaintances, tested positive, classified as a 'family-related' case.

The number of confirmed cases in a cluster infection at an elementary school in Seogwipo-si, Jeju Province, increased by eight to a cumulative 28.

Meanwhile, the proportion of patients who do not know when or where they were infected remains around 36% daily.

From the 29th of last month to today, 24,286 newly reported confirmed cases were recorded over the recent two weeks, of which 8,867 cases, accounting for 36.5%, have infection routes that have not yet been identified.

The proportion of those infected after contact with previously confirmed cases such as family, friends, and coworkers was 48.2% (11,704 people), approaching 50%.

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