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Gov't struggles to contain series of infection clusters
Citizens wait to go through coronavirus testing at a public health center in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu, Thursday. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
The health authorities are struggling to identify COVID-19 infection vectors to stop additional community transmissions as a string of sporadic infection clusters have continued to emerge in the densely populated capital area.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) is facing difficulties investigating infection routes and blocking additional cases as infections that broke out in one group spread rapidly to other groups.
Most of the locally transmitted cases have been reported in Seoul and the metropolitan area in recent weeks, amid a continuous rise in infection clusters in the capital region, including one traced to a multi-level marketing company in Gwanak District.
The KCDC reported 45 new infections Wednesday, including 40 local cases, which raised the nation's total to 11,947. The death toll remained unchanged at 276.
Among the 40, 20 lived in Seoul, while 15 and five were residents of Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, respectively.
According to the KCDC, 106 patients have been traced to the multi-level marketing company, Richway, as of noon Thursday, since the first case ― a man in his 70s ― was confirmed June 2.
The KCDC said the infection cluster at the company was believed to be linked to mass infections in at least four other groups including a Protestant church attended by Chinese immigrants and a call center operated by an investment company in the capital.
Another COVID-19 cluster at a table tennis facility in Seoul's Yangcheon District has shown a similar pattern as the infections there were spread to a church in Yongin and an elderly daycare center in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province.
The coronavirus was also spread to a cram school in Gangnam District and a Samsung Electronics' building in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.
According to the KCDC, when one patient is found, it takes about three days before a new patient emerges.
“If we fail to isolate people who came into contact with a COVID-19 patient within three days, the secondary and tertiary infections have already occurred,” KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said during a briefing, noting that the health authorities have been pressed for time.
The fact that many patients have showed no symptoms associated with COVID-19 has also made it more difficult for the authorities to find infected people in the early stages.
“Seoul and the nearby areas are densely populated. Infection clusters that began in the capital area can be spread to other parts of the nation at any time,” Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo said during a government meeting on its COVID-19 response, calling on the authorities to stay on high alert.
Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 survivors who vowed to donate their blood plasma has consistently increased, reaching 75 as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The blood donors will contribute to developing a COVID-19 treatment that utilizes antibodies in their plasma.