Infection cluster at prison challenges government's antivirus efforts
A Christmas tree stands next to a temporary COVID-19 testing facility near Gangnam Station, Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap
Country's virus cases hit all-time high at 1,241
By Jun Ji-hye
New daily COVID-19 cases hit a record high for Thursday, exceeding the 1,200 mark, due mainly to continuous infection clusters including one traced to a detention center, putting more pressure on the government to raise its social distancing measures to the highest Level 3.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), Friday, the nation added 1,241 more infections including 1,216 locally transmitted cases for Thursday, raising the total caseload to 54,770. This marked a sharp rise from 985 identified for Wednesday.
Among the local cases, 862 were in the Seoul metropolitan area that includes Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, the KDCA said, noting that 17 more people had died, raising the death toll to 773.
The health authorities attributed the latest hike in the number of infections to 288 new cases that occurred at a detention center in eastern Seoul.
The Ministry of Justice carried out a second round of COVID-19 testing on inmates and officers at the detention center Thursday, and found 286 inmates and two officers were positive for the coronavirus.
When including those who had tested positive during the first tests conducted Dec. 18, the detention center has a confirmed total of 498 cases ― 478 inmates and 20 officers ― becoming one of the largest infection clusters here.
Former President Lee Myung-bak had been held at the detention center after being convicted of embezzlement and bribe taking. The ministry said he was negative in the first test, but was later transferred to Seoul National University Hospital for treatment of an underlying condition.
Other places that have become infection clusters include offices, nursing homes and schools.
Eleven Army conscripts have also tested positive at the Republic of Korea Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province.
As there have been no signs of a slowdown in the third wave of infections that began mid-November, health experts are calling on the government to impose Level 3 social distancing rules. The daily average number of infections for last week was 1,006, far exceeding the criterion for Level 3 ― 800 to 1,000.
“Infections have occurred not only in the Seoul metropolitan area but also other parts of the nation. There have also been an increasing number of patients whose infection routes have yet to be identified. This will inevitably lead to a continued increase in the number of infections for the time being,” Chun Byung-chul, an epidemiologist at Korea University, said.
“The government should raise its social distancing rule to Level 3 as the failure in its antivirus efforts will lead to an increase in the death toll and cause public anxiety. This will bring about more damage.”
In response to the growing pressure, the authorities said they would discuss social distancing measures during a meeting scheduled for Sunday.
“Currently, the Seoul metropolitan area is under Level 2.5 and other parts of the country under Level 2. These measures are supposed to end Monday, thus we will discuss additional actions during Sunday's meeting,” Yoon Tae-ho, a senior official at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said during a media briefing.
In addition to the current levels, the authorities applied some specific measures during the year-end season through Jan. 3, such as the banning of gatherings of five or more people.