Updates on COVID-19 in Republic of Korea

14 August, 2020

□ As of 0:00, 14 August 2020, the total number of confirmed cases is 14,873 (including 2,618 imported cases), of which 13,863 cases have been discharged from isolation. There are 85 new local cases, 18 new imported cases, and 0 new deaths.

Overall case and test status, as of 0:00, 14 August (cumulative since 3 January 2020)

Period (since 3 Jan) Total Tested positive (PCR) Testing in progress Tested negative (PCR) Confirmed Discharged from isolation Under isolation Deceased As of 0:00 13 August (Thurs) 1,654,898 14,770 13,817 648 305 17,798 1,622,330 As of 0:00 14 August (Fri) 1,665,084 14,873 13,863 705 305 20,132 1,630,079 Difference (+)10,186 (+)103 (+)46 (+)57 0 (+)2,334 (+)7,749   * Based on case data reported to the KCDC ※ Figures subject to correction based on findings from epidemiological investigations

□ The current state* of major local clusters as of today (as of 12:00, 14 August) are as follows:

* The specific figures below may differ from the daily reported statistics (which are based on figures as of 0:00 today) or figures disclosed by local municipalities due to factors such as report timing and differences in the time period considered

 

○ Related to the Seoul regional Lotteria managerial staff meeting, 4 additional cases (4 visitors who were at the meeting place, Neungdong Chicken Baeng-i Hof) were confirmed. In total, 15* cases have been confirmed.

* Seoul = 11, Gyeonggi = 3

	Total	Lotteria related		Further transmission
		Meeting participants	Coworkers	Restaurant visitors	Acquaintance
As of 13 August	11	9	2	-	-
As of 14 August	15 (+4)	9	2	3 (+3)	1 (+1)

 

○ Related to the Gold Train (a gold investment firm) in Gangnam-gu, Seoul City, epidemiological investigation after the first confirmed case on 11 August revealed links to the family (3 cases) in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province and the family (5 cases) in Gwangjin-gu. The cases have been reclassified as same cluster. In total, 18 cases have been confirmed including 2 new cases confirmed today.

	Total	Company related		Additional transmission
		Workers	Visitors	Acquaintances, etc.
As of 13 August	16	4	1	11
As of 14 August	18 (+2)	4	2 (+1)	12 (+1)

 

○ Related to the Dongdaemun Tongil Store in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul City, 2 additional cases (2 family members) were confirmed after the first 2 confirmed cases (husband and wife) were found on 12 August. In total, 4 cases have been confirmed.

	Total	Store	Family and acquaintances
As of 13 August	2	2	0
As of 14 August	4 (+2)	2	2 (+2)

 

○ Related to an office (Shinil Utoville Officetel)* in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul City, 1 previously confirmed case has been re-categorized as belonging to this cluster. In total, 10** cases have been confirmed.

	Total	Office	Family and acquaintances
As of 13 August	9	6	3
As of 14 August	10(+1)	7(+1)	3

* Yeoksam-dong, Seoul City

** 8 August = 1, 10 August = 2, 11 August = 5, 12 August = 2 / Seoul = 5, Gyeonggi = 4, Gyeongnam = 1

 

○ Related to the Sarang Jaeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul City, contact tracing revealed 14 additional cases (12 church members, 2 acquaintances). In total, 19 cases have been confirmed.

 

- Epidemiological investigation found that confirmed cases visited the church (for service) while they were contagious. Due to the likelihood of additional cases, testing was requested for all church members and visitors who visited the church from 7 August to 13 August.

	Total	Church Members	Acquaintances
As of 13 August	5	5	0
As of 14 August	19 (+14)	17 (+12)	2 (+2)

○ Related to the Woori Jaeil Church in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, contact tracing found 60 additional cases (58 church member, 2 acquaintances). In total, 72 cases have been confirmed.

	Total	Church related	Additional transmission
		Church members (including index case)	Acquaintances
As of 13 August	12	12	0
As of 14 August	72 (+60)	70 (+58)	2 (+2)

* Risk factors: singing while not wearing a mask properly

 

○ Related to the Rejoice 153 Church in Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, 1 additional case was confirmed while in quarantine. In total, 24 cases have been confirmed.

	Total	Church related		Workplace related**
		Church members*	Family and acquaintances
As of 13 August	23	8	1	14
As of 14 August	24 (+1)	8	1	15 (+1)

* Including index case and 5 family members

** 2 teachers at Sanbuk Elementary School in Yangju City, 13 (+1) related to Elgoalin Bio (door-to-door sales company in Gangnam-gu, Seoul City)

 

○ Related to Daeji High School and Jukjeon High School in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, 1 additional case (student at Jukjeon High School) was confirmed while in quarantine. In total, 9 cases have been confirmed.

	Total	Jukjeon High School		Daeji High School
		Students	Family, etc.	Students	Family, etc.
As of 13 August	8	4	2	2	0
As of 14 August	9 (+1)	5 (+1)	2	2	0

 

○ Related to a family in Paju-si, Gyeonggi Province, 3 additional cases (2 family members, 1 acquaintance) were confirmed after the first case found on 12 August.

 

- Epidemiological investigation revealed that the index case visited a coffee shop (Starbucks at Paju Yadang Station) on 8 August. Testing of visitors led to 4 additional confirmed cases. In total, 8 cases have been confirmed. Investigation of chain of transmission at the coffee shop and contact tracing is underway.

	Total	Family related (including index case)	Acquaintances	Coffee shop related
As of 13 August	4	3	1	0
As of 14 August	8 (+4)	3	1	4 (+4)

 

○ Related to the Busan National Mechanical Technical High School in Haeundae-gu, Busan City, contact tracing has revealed 4 additional confirmed cases (1 acquaintance, 2 family members, 1 acquaintance of family member). In total, 7 cases have been confirmed. Investigation of chain of transmission and contact tracing is underway.

	Total	Students	Family and acquaintance
As of 13 August	3	3	0
As of 14 August	7 (+4)	3	4 (+4)

○ Related to the Bukyung Health High School-affiliated Middle School (adult class) in Saha-gu, Busan City, 1 additional case was confirmed while in quarantine. In total, 11 cases (6 students, 5 family members) have been confirmed. Investigation of chain of transmission and contact tracing is underway.

	Total	Bukyung Health High School-affiliated Middle School (adult class)
		Students	Family
As of 13 August	10	6	4
As of 14 August	11(+1*)	6	5(+1)

* Confirmed 12 August, reported 13 August

 

□ As of 0:00, 14 August, there were 18 imported cases, of which 7 were confirmed at the point of entry, and 11 were confirmed in the community while in mandatory self-quarantine after arrival. 6 were Korean nationals and 12 foreign nationals.

 

○ The (presumed) location of infection acquisition of the 18 new imported cases are: Americas (9) (US 9), Africa (4) (Ghana 2, Algeria 1, Ethiopia 1), Europe 1 (UK 1), and Asia excluding China (4) (Iraq 2, Philippines 1, Kazakhstan 1).

 

□ In light of the continued occurrence of new cases and clusters related to religious event, KCDC analyzed last two weeks’ cases related to religious facilities and advised caution when participating in weekend religious events.

 

○ Recent church clusters:

- Songpa Love Church (22)

- Sun Church (5)

- Sarang Jeil Church (19)

- Rejoice 153 Church (24)

- Banseok Church (34)

- Junimui Saem Church (17)

- Woori Jeil Church (72)

 

○ Risk factors found include:

- Attending service after symptom onset

- Improper mask wearing

- Singing

- Choir small group gathering

- Meals

- Small group gathering

- Insufficient physical distancing during worship service

- Visiting church during transmissible period

- Venue lacking ventilation (located in basement, no windows)

- Meals after service

- Preschool classes with improper mask wearing

- Singing without proper mask wearing

- Improper mask wearing includes not wearing a mask and taking off mask while engaging in droplet-producing activities such as singing, dining, and conversing

○ When a religious event takes place, make sure to keep the core COVID-19 prevention guidelines, including not taking off your mask while indoors. Refrain from providing shared meals or snacks within religious facilities, and avoid small group meetings before and after religious events.

 

- Retreats and prayer meetings risk mass-transmission. Such events should be canceled or conducted in a non-face-to-face manner.

 

- Even if you have mild symptoms, do not participate in religious events. Visit a screening center to get tested.

 

○ If church-related clusters continue to occur, mandatory enforcement of infection prevention measures will be inevitable. Churches are asked to voluntarily strengthen their effort to prevent transmission within their facilities.

 

- Some churches were not thorough in keeping a log of visitors, leading to difficulty in contact tracing of service attendees. There were even cases where some churches were uncooperative to authorities’ request for church members to get tested. KCDC asked church communities for cooperation.

 

- Those who refuse to cooperate with epidemiological investigation or intentionally cause disruption of investigation efforts leading to more transmissions will be subject to consequences including but not limited to prosecution and charges for reimbursement of damages.

 

□ KCDC analyzed recent clusters related to small group gatherings and meetings, and reminded the public of the precaution guidelines for a healthy and safe holiday season,

 

○ Recent small group gathering clusters:

- Songpa-gu friends gathering (9)

- Hongcheon camping grounds (10)

- Gangnam-gu coffee shop (16)

- Lotteria managers gathering (15)

 

○ Risk factors include:

- Infection prevention guidelines not followed while dining, camping, etc.

- Improper mask wearing while having a meeting in coffee shop

- Improper mask wearing while in restaurant

- Gathering for extended period of time in public venues including pubs and restaurants without proper mask wearing

 

 

○ The risk of infection is not limited to particular types of venues or places. Rather, it is the act of having physical contact with someone other than household members, regardless of location, that can result in transmission of infection.

 

- Therefore, KCDC asked the public to cancel social gatherings or meetings or have them in non-face-to-face manner.

 

□ As transmissions with uncertain epidemiological links* continue around the Seoul metropolitan area, KCDC views the current situation as very serious. The public is asked to stay vigilant and follow COVID-19 prevention guidelines during the upcoming weekend and holiday.

* Confirmed cases, last 2 weeks: 222 imported cases (39.1%), 188 local cases (33.1%), 78 under investigation (13.7%), etc. (based on 568 cases reported 1 August 0:00 – 14 August 0:00)

 

○ COVID-19 transmission can occur in all closed, crowded, and close contact settings.

 

- Refrain from visiting closed, crowded, and close-contact settings, such as clubs, entertainment venues, pubs, restaurants, cafes, and other publicly used facilities.

 

- Make sure to follow COVID-19 prevention guidelines, such as wearing a mask properly, keeping a 2m distance from others, and washing your hands, in everyday life, including family/friends gatherings and while visiting restaurants and cafes.

 

- Refrain from outdoor gatherings during the upcoming holiday weekend. Spend time at home with your family if possible. If you go out, visit uncrowded places to stay safe and healthy.

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL LINKS OF CONFIRMED CASES
Region	Confirmed cases									Other major clusters
	Total	Imported cases	Clusters					Other*	New cases
			Sub- total	Shin- cheonji cluster	Other local clusters	Contacts of confirmed cases	Linked to imported cases
Seoul	1,767	363	1,085	8	1,006	71	120	199	32	Large clusters: • Nightclubs (277) • Richway (208) • Guro-gu call center (170) • Coupang fulfillment center (152) • Gwangju door-to-door sales (150) • Fitness/sport facility in Cheonan (123) • Newly planted churches group (119)     Recent clusters: • Woori Jaeil Church • Daeji and Jukjeon High Schools • Seongbuk-gu Sarang Jaeil Church • Lotteria staff meeting • Dongdaemun Tongil Store • Busan National Mechanical Technical High School • Bukyung Health High School • Banseok Church • Junimui Saem Church • Gippeum 153 Church • Busan Gamcheon Seaport • Seoul coffeehouse and restaurant • Songpa-gu social gathering
Busan	198	43	103	12	79	12	28	24	5
Daegu	6,946	65	5,215	4,512	699	4	926	740	0
Incheon	393	82	285	2	275	8	11	15	4
Gwangju	220	35	175	9	160	6	1	9	2
Daejeon	167	20	103	2	101	0	26	18	0
Ulsan	62	26	24	16	4	4	9	3	1
Sejong	50	5	41	1	40	0	3	1	0
Gyeonggi	1,728	454	1,047	29	952	66	114	113	47
Gangwon	78	24	47	17	29	1	3	4	1
Chung- buk	82	19	43	6	35	2	7	13	0
Chung- nam	200	34	145	0	144	1	10	11	3
Jeonbuk	42	24	13	1	12	0	4	1	0
Jeonnam	42	24	13	1	10	2	3	2	0
Gyeong- buk	1,412	37	1,052	566	486	0	193	130	1
Gyeong- nam	167	55	86	32	52	2	13	13	0
Jeju	26	15	7	0	6	1	4	0	0
Ports of Entry	1,293	1,293	0	0	0	0	0	0	7
Total	14,873	2,618	9,484	5,214	4,090	180	1,475	1,296	103
	(%)	(17.6)	(63.8)	(35.1)	(27.5)	(1.2)	(9.9)	(8.7)
* Not classified into a cluster or under investigation ※ The interim classification is based on the reporting location, which may change depending on further epidemiological investigation.

AGE DISTRIBUTION OF SEVERE CASES
8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 Total 13 13 13 13 14 18 18 17 16 16 15 15 15 14 Severe 9 9 9 9 8 11 11 10 9 9 7 8 7 6 Very severe 4 4 4 4 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 7 8 8
	Total	Severe	(	%	)	Very severe	(	%	)
Total	14	6	(	100	)	8	(	100	)
80 and above	2	2	(	33.3	)	0	(	0.0	)
70-79	6	2	(	33.3	)	4	(	50.0	)
60-69	5	1	(	16.7	)	4	(	50.0	)
50-59	0	0	(	0.0	)	0	(	0.0	)
40-49	1	1	(	16.7	)	0	(	0.0	)
30-39	0	0	(	0.0	)	0	(	0.0	)
20-29	0	0	(	0.0	)	0	(	0.0	)
10-19	0	0	(	0.0	)	0	(	0.0	)
0-9	0	0	(	0.0	)	0	(	0.0	)

IMPORTED CONFIRMED CASES

NEW CASES (LAST 2 WEEKS) BY CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION