Source: Zongxiang News
Oriental Network· Zongxiang News Reporter Feng Yinlun
When the epidemic situation in South Korea gradually stabilized and localities have successively pressed the resumption of work button, the turmoil has started again. Itaewon , known as the "Wanguocheng" in South Korea, has suddenly seen a super-dissemination incident in nightclubs.
Today (May 10), there were 34 new confirmed cases in South Korea, almost all of which were related to the incident. This is the first time since April 12 that it has exceeded 30 people in a single day. Yonhap News Agency pointed out that the recurrence of clustered community infections against the background of the stabilization of the epidemic has made the South Korean government nervous.
The "Achilles Heel" of the epidemic in South Korea, and itaewon has a super "poison king"
On the 6th of this month, a 29-year-old man living in Cheongdeok-dong, Qixing District, Yongin City was diagnosed with new coronary pneumonia. He is the protagonist of this nightclub super-spread incident and is known as "Confirmed Patient No. 66" (hereinafter referred to as "Patient No. 66"). This is also the first confirmed case of community infection in Longren City after a month.
"Patient No. 66" works in a software company in Chengnan City, Pentang District. It has been on vacation since April 30. It has symptoms such as fever and diarrhea on the 2nd of this month. It was tested on the 5th and was diagnosed as positive at 7:55 am on the 6th.
html April 30 is the "Buddha's Birthday" in South Korea, and May 5 is the "Children's Day". Therefore, many locals choose to go out for a long time or go out during this golden time, and the density of people has increased."Patient No. 66" was active outside for 5 days during these 6 days. In the early morning of May 2, he went to Itaewon and went to three nightclubs and two bars in a row. According to previous Korean media reports, although most entertainment venues posted warnings for the epidemic, many nightclubs only check whether they wear masks and ID cards when they actually enter the venue, and do not measure their body temperature.
Judging from the activity trajectory, he did not come out of the tavern and return to the Bentang District until 3:47 pm on the 2nd (local time). But according to the notice, he had obvious symptoms of COVID-19 that day.
This incident occurred in the capital area of South Korea, with a population density far higher than Daegu and other places. Itaewon, known as the "Wanguocheng" of South Korea, is a community where young Koreans and foreigners in South Korea gather in large numbers. The Korean media National Daily reported that the three nightclubs received more than 2,000 guests that day. Other media conservatively estimate that at least 1,500 people are in danger, and there are currently more than 50 close contacts.
According to official monitoring from South Korea, during the dangerous period from the end of April to May 6, the number of people going to nightclubs will reach at least 6,000 to 7,000.
htmlOn the 8th, the South Korean Central Epidemic Prevention Headquarters urgently announced that after 0:00 on the same day, 13 new confirmed cases of new coronavirus infection in the country, most of which were related to this group of infections. In addition to his colleagues and friends, the direct infection also includes 1 nurse, 1 soldier and 3 foreigners.:00 on May 9, South Korea officially announced 26 new local community infections, of which 24 were from the virus chain. The relevant infection range has spread from Seoul to Gyeonggi, Incheon , Busan , Daegu, Chungbuk, and even the Land Jeju . Worrisome secondary transmission began to spread, such as confirmed nurses who infected their mothers, and confirmed soldiers spread the virus to another soldier in Chung Beshu.
Unlike in the past, this incident also involved foreigners. It is estimated that there were about 1,500 foreign tourists going to Itaewon nightclub on the 2nd, and there were 28 people who were tentatively contacted, but the actual number was more.
Yonhap News Agency pointed out that finding foreign patients as soon as possible is one of the keys to preventing the spread of infection, but it is a new test for the South Korean government.
Yen Zhongzhi, professor of infectious internal medicine at Daji Hospital, Jiaquan University, South Korea, pointed out that the South Korean authorities have not prepared an epidemic prevention system for foreigners in advance. "Like any other group sexual transmission incident, if foreigners are not detected as early as possible, the community will be 'quiet' large-scale transmission'.
At present, something more worrying is happening. The three foreigners who had been diagnosed went to nightclubs in Xincun twice on the 3rd and 4th. The area brings together many well-known Korean universities, with dense crowds, and this place may become the next place to fall.
In addition, the "poison king" may also bring the virus into the entertainment industry.On the 7th, a whistleblower told Korean media that a well-known idol also went to one of the nightclubs that day. According to the whistleblower, the idol singer is well-known to the public, active in the film and television industry, and has recently donated money to the medical team.
According to Korean media reports, because nightclubs are more sensitive to people, some people do not register their identity information, and many people are unwilling to disclose their privacy. As of now, only 637 people have been contacted by the 1,946 people related to the three nightclubs, and more than 1,000 people have not been able to contact us.
Today, Longshan District police decided to expand the scope of investigation to five nightclubs and will investigate 5,276 people.
The South Korean government strictly prevents
After confirmation, this "patient No. 66" has neither experienced entering overseas recently nor has it been in contact with existing confirmed patients. It can be said that this is a "high-risk drug king" with unknown infection routes. Korean media predict that the number of infections and spreading speed will continue to rise.
htmlOn the 8th, the South Korean government urgently convened a meeting of local autonomous groups and decided to implement a national self-restraint administrative order for one month starting from 8 o'clock that night.However, some large Seoul nightclubs have not converged. A Jiangnan nightclub uploaded photos taken in the store, looking at the carnivals wearing masks, a nightclub called "365 days of rest" slogans, and a nightclub opened to pay for guests that night.
0 On the afternoon of the 9th, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon held an emergency press conference and issued an order to prohibit gatherings to all entertainment facilities in the city. Operators who violate the regulations will be severely punished.
There is currently no clear regulation on when the ban will be lifted. Park Won-soon said that the ban will be lifted in the form of other orders in the future. "We have to take such measures. The list of entry and exit is inaccurate. We believe that it is not possible to restrict it by the operator alone."
He pointed out, "Because of a few people we failed, the anger of the citizens is naturally great." "I hope all citizens can think deeply again, keep a distance in life, and never think about immediately returning to their life state before the epidemic."
At the same time, the South Korean government is promoting the production of 100 million masks in order to cope with the next second wave of the epidemic.
South Korea's Food, Medicine and Safety Director Li Yiqing said at a press conference on the 7th that the government has allocated funds to produce 100 million reserve masks. She also added that although the problem of insufficient masks has been resolved, the South Korean government has not yet planned to cancel the standards for masks distributed to individuals and the restriction system for distribution at a fixed time.
Today, South Korean President Moon Jae-in pointed out in his special speech on the third anniversary of his inauguration of his office that the epidemic will take a long time to calm down, and the government will also respond to the recurrence of the epidemic in advance and make complete preparations for the long-term fight against the epidemic. We hope that while returning to daily life, the people will insist on abide by epidemic prevention regulations. "The epidemic has not yet ended, and we must not relax our vigilance."
Nightclub outbreak is expected?
Jin Yuzhu (transliteration), a professor of infection internal medicine at Jiulao Hospital of Korea University, once said that in bars with poor ventilation and crowded populations, it is very easy to lead to collective infection due to droplet transmission. At this stage, many young people who have been diagnosed are diagnosed due to insufficient vigilance against the epidemic.
South Korea has previously experienced sporadic small infections in entertainment venues such as Internet cafes, but they have not received attention. The occurrence of this large-scale incident has aroused the attention and thinking of Korean society.
From April 28 to May 1 this year, Seoul Research Institute and Professor Yoo Ming-sun (sound), a professor at the Graduate School of Health at Seoul University, jointly conducted a questionnaire survey on "Seoul citizens' understanding of the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic" with 813 Seoul citizens as the target. The survey found that young people in their 20s have the lowest awareness of the risk of the new coronavirus.
Some media concluded based on this data that this is an inevitable and expected event. As of 0:00 local time on the 10th, South Korea had a total of 10,874 cases.
"Severe the community and further spread, and it is necessary to compete with time. This is a speed battle." Zheng Yinjing, director of the South Korean Central Epidemic Prevention Headquarters, looked solemn again at today's regular press conference.
