Omicron-Confirmed Couple Lied... "Considering Legal Action"

On the 2nd, citizens are waiting for testing at the screening clinic of Seoul Metropolitan Seobuk Hospital in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] It has been revealed that the pastor couple, the first confirmed domestic cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, gave false statements during the epidemiological investigation. Authorities are considering filing charges for violations of infectious disease laws.

According to Michuhol-gu and Yeonsu-gu in Incheon on the 2nd, the pastor couple in their 40s, Mr. A and his wife, who were confirmed positive for the Omicron variant on the 25th of last month, initially stated during the epidemiological investigation that "they took a quarantine taxi from the airport to their home."

However, it was found that Mr. B, a man in his 30s known to them, drove them to their home. As a result, Mr. B was not classified as a close contact.

Mr. B tested negative in the first test after hearing the news of Mr. A couple's confirmation and lived his daily life without quarantine measures. However, after showing suspicious symptoms such as fever, he took a second test and was confirmed positive, leading to his isolation.

It was confirmed that Mr. B roamed around restaurants, marts, dental clinics, and other places near his residence in Yeonsu-gu for six days without any quarantine measures after contact with Mr. A couple. During this period, 87 people were identified as contacts and underwent COVID-19 testing. Among them, 11 were classified as close contacts.

Additionally, it was revealed that Mr. B's family attended a foreigner-targeted program at a large church in Michuhol-gu on the 28th of last month. This program was attended by 411 foreigners of Central Asian nationality on that day. A worship service held at a different time was attended by 400 congregants.

Michuhol-gu plans to send Korean and foreign language guidance text messages to these 811 congregants, urging them to undergo COVID-19 testing.

Michuhol-gu is considering filing charges against Mr. A couple with the police for violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act. A quarantine authority official said, "Because Mr. A couple gave false statements, Mr. B was not classified as their close contact," and added, "We are considering filing charges for violations related to infectious disease laws."

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