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| A child waits to receive a coronavirus test at a makeshift clinic in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap |
By Bahk Eun-ji
Health authorities said Sunday that they are making all-out efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus in order to prevent Gwangju from becoming the new virus hotbed as sporadic infections continue to grow in the city.
There are increasing fears among the public that a massive surge in community transmissions could occur resulting in the city experiencing a similar situation as was seen in Daegu, the epicenter of the country's first major COVID-19 outbreak.
The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) detected 61 new infections Saturday ― 43 local and 18 imported ― bringing the nation's total to 13,091. The death toll remained unchanged at 283. The country reported 63 new cases each on Thursday and Friday last week, marking the first time since April where daily new cases surpassed 60 for three consecutive days.
Among the local infections, 15 cases were newly identified in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul. The city has seen an uptick of coronavirus cases due mainly to cluster infections linked to a Buddhist temple and a church. Seoul and Gyeonggi Province reported 14 and four local cases respectively, while eight were residents in Daejeon. Gangwon Province and North Gyeongsang Province reported one each.
As of Saturday, 13 new cases were reported tied to Gwangneuk Temple in Gwangju, raising the total of such cases to 80. Infections linked to the Ilgok JungAng Church there also have been on the rise. Among the church-linked cases is the city's first elementary school student infection.
In response to the sharp rise of virus cases in the city, the government of South Jeolla Province, which surrounds Gwangju, said it will raise the region's virus alert level to "social distancing level 2" from the current "distancing in daily life," starting from Monday.
The upgraded measure includes banning gatherings of 50 or more people indoors or 100 or more people outdoors, and making it mandatory to wear masks when using public transportation.
"It is true that the spread of COVID-19 is developing as the most dangerous situation even in the first stage of social distance," said Kim Kang-lip, the deputy chief of the Central Disaster Prevention Headquarters.
"In particular, Gwangju is concerned that a large number of small-scale infections have been taking place, which has become a high burden on epidemiological investigations unlike Daegu, where infections occurred mainly in Shincheonji Church of Jesus," Kim said.
On Saturday, the first case of infection at a golf course was reported.
According to a local government in Gyeonggi Province, a 68-year-old man living in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, was confirmed to have been infected, Saturday. An acquaintance of the man, another 68-year-old man living in Seongnam, was also confirmed earlier Thursday.
Previously, they were found to have played golf with an infected patient from Uijeongbu at a golf course in Gwangju on June 25, and as such were ordered to self-quarantine. They were confirmed after undergoing virus testing at the Yeoju City Health Center and the Bundang District Health Center in Seongnam, respectively, as they showed related symptoms of fever and sore throat.
However, health authorities did not conclude that it was spread during golf rounds. Instead, it is assumed that close contact occurred while eating and moving around together. It is less likely for the virus to spread through outdoor sports, particularly if players avoid close contact.
