이태원 클럽 관련 확진자 총 215명... 미국•유럽 해외입국자와 공통된 감염원
A total of 2-hundred-15 have now been confirmed with COVID-19 linked to the cluster infection at clubs and bars in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood.
The strain of the virus these people have is 'G', one that's been mostly found among patients in the U.S. and Europe but not one that's so far been prevalent in South Korea.
Leading our COVID-19 coverage tonight, our Oh Jung-hee.
South Korea reported 20 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday 11 community infections and 9 imported from overseas.
Although the situation in the country is not escalating into a large-scale outbreak, cluster infections stemming from indoor facilities are continuing to crop up here and there.
"As of 12 p.m. on May 22nd, 2-hundred-15 COVID-19 patients are found to be linked to the Itaewon club infections. 95 visited the clubs and 120 were secondary infections. We ask for your attention as 9 new cases have been reported from a buffet restaurant in Bucheon city."
According to the health authorities, all three strains of COVID-19 have been found in South Korea.
Strains S and V are usually found in China and other Asian nations, and strain G is found in Europe and the U.S.
In Korea, strain S was mostly found among entrants from overseas during the outbreak's early stages and with South Koreans from Wuhan.
Strain V was found among people linked to the Shincheonji religious sect and Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.
The latest cases linked to the Itaewon cluster infection have the same virus strain as those from U.S. and Europe - strain G.
"It couldn't be clarified who the first Itaewon patient got the virus from. But the strain of virus found was 'G'. We saw cases rise among entrants from the U.S. and Europe in late March and early April. So it could be that the first Itaewon patient was infected directly or via a secondary infection from someone arriving from the U.S. or Europe."
The health authorities are calling on people to refrain from using indoor facilities where groups of people can gather like clubs, bars, singing rooms, and computer cafes.
Seoul City has ordered a closure of all 5-hundred-69 coin-operated singing rooms in the city on Friday, as many of them are un-manned and are difficult to manage quarantine-wise.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.