No Confirmed Cases on Incheon Jawoldo and Deokjeokdo... Cluster Infections Surge During Chuseok Holiday

Jawooldo, Ongjin-gun
Photo by Incheon City

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] In Incheon Ongjin-gun, on Jawoldo and Deokjeokdo, where no COVID-19 cases had been reported until now, cluster infections occurred consecutively during the Chuseok holiday.

According to Incheon City and Ongjin-gun on the 21st, on Jawoldo, 15 people tested positive starting from the first day of the Chuseok holiday on the 18th, and an additional 17 confirmed cases occurred on this day, bringing the total number of infections to 32.

Earlier, a family of four, including Mr. A who lives on Jawoldo, tested positive after visiting Incheon mainland from the 11th to the 13th. This family boarded a passenger ferry traveling from Incheon Port to Jawoldo, Soijakdo, Deijakdo, and Seungbongdo at 3 p.m. on the 13th.

The family stated, "While staying in the passenger terminal waiting room, we overlapped in movement with the first confirmed case in Ongjin-gun, a resident of Deokjeokdo, and thus underwent specimen testing."

Ongjin-gun conducted mass testing on 772 island residents over two days from the 19th to the 20th, and by this day, found 28 additional infected individuals. Most of the cases on Jawoldo are known to be infected with the 'Delta' variant virus.

Ongjin-gun predicted that more confirmed cases would emerge considering that the passenger ferry entering Jawoldo from Incheon stops at several islands.

Previously, on Deokjeokdo, after one resident who visited Incheon on the 17th tested positive, nine more residents were confirmed positive by the previous day. This is the first time COVID-19 cases have occurred on Jawoldo and Deokjeokdo, all spreading as cluster infections.

An official from Ongjin-gun said, "Primary testing of island residents has been completed, but considering the incubation period, there is a high risk of additional infections," and added, "We plan to continue further mass testing."

Meanwhile, as of this day, the cumulative number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the Incheon area is 14,463. Also, 2,056,038 people have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of the previous day.

In Incheon, in addition to screening clinics at health centers in each district and county (11 locations) and medical institutions (21 locations), temporary screening centers (11 locations) are operating to block asymptomatic infection sources.

The temporary screening centers are located at ▲ Jung-gu - Unseo Station ▲ Michuhol-gu - Juan Station, Incheon National University Jemulpo Campus ▲ Yeonsu-gu - Songdo Michuhol Tower, Woninjae Station ▲ Namdong-gu - Arts Center Station ▲ Bupyeong-gu - Bupyeong Station, Sintree Park ▲ Gyeyang-gu - Jakjeon Station ▲ Seo-gu - Geomam Station, Asiad Main Stadium. Operating hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on holidays.

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