Untraceable infections soar in Seoul

A customer carries takeout coffee at a coffeehouse in Seoul, Monday, with only orders for takeout coffee allowed at franchises as the government imposes strengthened antivirus measures in the greater Seoul area to contain another nationwide outbreak. Yonhap

By Bahk Eun-ji

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Monday that the number of coronavirus infections from untraceable routes has reached its highest level since the first coronavirus patient was confirmed here in January.

The total number of new daily COVID-19 infections stayed below 300 for the second consecutive day, Sunday, but the quarantine officials continue to remain vigilant over the growing number of such untraceable cases as they pose a greater challenge in containing the ongoing outbreak.

According to the KCDC there were 248 new cases, Sunday, including 238 local infections, raising the overall caseload to 19,947. One additional patient died, raising the death toll to 324.

Although fewer virus tests over the weekend might have led to the lower number, new daily cases decreased for a fourth consecutive day after reaching a peak of 441, Thursday ― the highest daily rate in the last six months.

The authorities said the decreasing trend over the recent few days was thanks to public efforts to sincerely comply with social distancing rules, but urged people to keep their guard up as the number of cases has still stayed in triple digits for more than two weeks.

“Still, more than 200 cases are confirmed every day, and sporadic infection clusters have become a huge burden on the country's fight against the virus,” KCDC chief Jeong Eun-kyeong said during a regular briefing at the Government Complex in Sejong. “In addition, the number of patients in critical condition has more than doubled from last week to 79 as of Monday and the death toll has also been rising.”

Jeong said it was necessary for all citizens to participate in the reinforced social distancing measures ― even if they caused pain and discomfort ― in order to contain the virus successfully and minimize consequential human and economic damage.

Since Aug. 14, more than 5,100 cases have been reported, mostly linked to a conservative church in northern Seoul, and an Aug. 15 Liberation Day demonstration. The number of patients with unknown infection routes stood at 942 as of midnight Sunday, accounting for 21.5 percent of all confirmed cases.

In particular, the ratio of such patients was higher in Seoul. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, 42 additional cases without infection vectors were confirmed, bringing the total number to 649.

“The number of new daily cases has been declining in recent days, which is seen as a positive sign,” said Kim Tak, an infectious medicine professor at Soonchunhyang University in Seoul. “However, it is not easy to say that the current situation has been stabilized as the rate of those patients who do not know the route of infection is still high.”

The government placed extended social distancing measures, dubbed “Level 2.5,” for one more week until Sept.6 in the greater Seoul area. Under the measures, operations of restaurants, bakeries and franchise coffee chains in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province are restricted.

The education ministry and universities are also remaining vigilant as nearly 50,000 international students are expected to enter the country ahead of the second semester. The government, universities and local authorities are working together to manage the international students. But in some regions anxiety is growing as a number of instances of persons breaking self-quarantine regulations have been reported.