Gyeongbuk Yecheon-gun, COVID-19 Infection Routes 'Unclear'... 24 Cases in 6 Days

'Social Distancing' Extended Until the 25th

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Dong-wook] In Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk, 24 new COVID-19 cases have occurred over six days, mainly among family members and acquaintances. After a month-long pause in new cases, infections began again on the 9th with a couple in their 40s, followed by 3 to 5 cases of cross-infection, but the infection routes remain unidentified, increasing anxiety among local residents.

According to Gyeongbuk Province on the 14th, Yecheon-gun confirmed 6 additional cases on the morning of the day and the previous night, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 30. Among the newly confirmed cases is a 10-year-old child.

In Yecheon-gun, no new cases had been reported for over a month since the 7th of last month, but on the 9th of this month, a woman in her 40s, three family members, and five colleagues were confirmed positive. Subsequently, 3 cases on the 10th, 3 on the 11th, 4 on the 12th, 5 on the 13th, and 4 on the 14th were reported, totaling 24 infections over six days.

The health authorities estimate that all confirmed cases over the recent six days are 2nd to 4th generation infections related to the woman in her 40s confirmed positive on the 9th, involving family, acquaintances, and contacts. However, the infection route of the 7th confirmed case, the woman in her 40s who tested positive on the 9th, has yet to be identified.

As the number of confirmed cases continues to rise, Yecheon-gun has extended 'social distancing' measures until the 25th and is recommending voluntary reduction of business hours or temporary closure to small business owners. Additionally, two elderly care facilities with high risk of cluster infections will be cohort isolated until the 26th.

Meanwhile, on the 13th, Yecheon-gun issued a statement in response to the Democratic Party of Korea Gyeongbuk Provincial Party's demand for clarification on the confirmed cases' movement routes, stating, "At the request of the party raising suspicions, we re-verified through oral interviews with confirmed cases, cellphone location tracking, CCTV, and vehicle black box tracking," emphasizing that "no significant movement routes were concealed or minimized."