OUTBREAKS CONTINUE AT RELIGIOUS FACILITIES

[Anchor Lead]

The wider metro area is under Level 2.5 social distancing rules but cluster outbreaks continue at religious facilities and cram schools. One worshipper from a religious facility in Bucheon, Gyeonggido Province who works as an instructor at an academy has so far caused around 50 infections.

[Pkg]

The first COVID-19 case at an academy located on the 4th floor of this building was confirmed on February 3rd. The lecturer here displayed fever-like symptoms but continued to teach classes. A student got infected and tested positive on the 7th. Only then did the instructor belatedly receive a test and found out he was COVID-19 positive. During the time, the instructor’s colleagues, students and their families all contracted the virus, some 30 in total.

[Soundbite] Local Resident : "I heard a teacher and student tested positive a few days ago and then suddenly, yesterday, everyone was said to be getting tested."

The virus also spread at a dormitory the same instructor was living with others. The dorm belongs to a religious facility called Seung Ni Je Dan operated by the Yeongsaeng-gyo religious sect. Over 20 out of some 130 devotees have been infected. Bucheon City immediately imposed a no-assembly order on the facility and is expanding virus testing.

[Soundbite] Jang Deog-cheon(Bucheon Mayor) : "Additional cases may emerge as the academy instructor has been showing symptoms since early February."

City officials are urging citizens who visited the facility or the academy since late January or came into contact with infected patients to get tested.