Domestic Omicron Cases Total 75... 12 New Confirmed Cases Added Yesterday

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The cumulative number of COVID-19 Omicron variant infections in South Korea has reached 75.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) announced on the 11th at midnight that 12 additional Omicron variant cases were confirmed. Among the infection routes, 19 cases were imported from overseas, and 56 were domestic infections.

Of the 12 newly confirmed cases added that day, 4 were imported cases and 8 were domestic infections. Through the imported cases that day, an Omicron infection was confirmed in Jeonbuk as well. Among the 4 imported cases, one was a person in their 30s who entered from Iran without being vaccinated.

This entrant arrived on the 25th of last month and has been under self-quarantine in Jeonbuk. A test conducted on the 27th of last month was negative, but they were confirmed positive on the 5th. Notably, on the 10th, the case was confirmed as an Omicron variant infection.

The CDCH is investigating the possibility of community transmission involving at least 39 people, including 28 in Jeonbuk, 10 in Jeonnam, and 1 in Seoul, related to this confirmed case.

According to the CDCH, three family members were first confirmed positive due to the entrant from Iran, and through these family members, a confirmed case emerged at a daycare center in Jeonbuk. Furthermore, the daycare center infection spread to a gathering of 7 people from 5 families residing in Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, and Seoul, raising the possibility of COVID-19 spreading to a daycare center in Jeonnam as well.

Among the remaining 3 newly imported confirmed cases, 2 were unvaccinated entrants in their teens and 30s from South Africa. One person in their 30s from Nigeria had completed vaccination.

All three entrants from South Africa and Nigeria arrived on the 3rd and were confirmed positive during quarantine. It was also confirmed that these three were on the same flight as three others who arrived from South Africa on the 3rd.

The total number of passengers on this flight was 155, among whom 6 were confirmed to be infected with the Omicron variant. Additionally, all 8 newly confirmed domestic infection cases were related to a church in Michuhol-gu, Incheon.

As of midnight on that day, the CDCH classified a total of 80 people as epidemiologically related to Omicron cases (75 infected and 5 suspected).

Most of the confirmed and suspected domestic Omicron variant cases identified so far are related to the church in Michuhol-gu, Incheon.

The Omicron variant infection, which spread starting from Pastor A and his spouse belonging to this church, extended from their acquaintance B to B’s family members (C and D) and acquaintance (E) → church members belonging to C, D, and E → families and acquaintances of church members, and local community residents who had contact with the church members, reaching the fifth generation of infection.

Among the confirmed cases, acquaintances of local community residents and families of acquaintances of church members were also classified as suspected cases, and the sixth generation of infection was confirmed on this day.

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