Virus spreads via multi-level marketers

The entrance to Richway, a multi-level marketing company located in Seoul's southern Gwanak-gu, is locked after dozens of workers and visitors there have been confirmed to have COVID-19. / Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

Health authorities are expressing concern over a new COVID-19 infection cluster that began at a multi-level marketing company selling health supplements, as most of its customers are senior citizens who are more vulnerable to the disease.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), Friday, 19 more patients have been traced to the company, called Richway, with the total number of related cases reaching 29 as of Friday noon.

The first case was confirmed on June 2 ― a man in his 70s.

Of the 29 patients, 18 live in Seoul, five are Gyeonggi Province residents, four live in Incheon and two are from South Chungcheong Province. The company is located in Gwanak-gu, southern Seoul.

“Those who visited the company between May 21 and June 3 need to go through coronavirus testing regardless of whether or not they display symptoms associated with the virus,” Kwon Joon-wook, head of the National Institute of Health under the KCDC, said during a media briefing.

The company has held seminars aimed at selling health supplements, and most visitors were senior citizens, according to the authorities.

“The fatality rate stands at 2.34 percent now, but the rate shoots up as high as 13.1 percent for patients older than 65, and 26.4 percent for those older than 80,” Kwon said.

KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong also said there has been an increasing number of elderly patients recently in Seoul and nearby areas, raising concerns there could be further loss of lives.

Virus cases linked to religious gatherings have also continued to be reported in the capital region, putting the health authorities on edge following the case of the Daegu branch of Shincheonji Church of Jesus. The minor religious sect was at the center of a huge surge in infections here in February and March.

The KCDC said 10 new patients were traced to gatherings of small churches in Incheon and Gyeonggi Province as of Friday noon, raising the number of related cases to 76.

Of the 76, 30 were members of the churches, while 46 came into contact with them.

Meanwhile, 39 new virus patients were reported for Thursday, which brought the country's total to 11,668.

Of the 39 new cases, 34 were local infections, while five were imported ones.

The death toll remained unchanged at 273.

The country has experienced a series of outbreaks linked to nightclubs in Itaewon and a logistics center operated by an e-commence platform giant, as well as religious gatherings, since the beginning of May.