 |
| BTJ World Center located at the end of Mt. Bonghwang, Sangsang-ri, Hwaseo-myeon, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk on the 14th. January 14, 2021/News1 © News1 Reporter Jeong Sik |
The group infection at the BTJ World Center, a training center operated by the Protestant international missionary organization InterCP, is spreading all over the world. Following the Shincheonji Jesuit Society (hereinafter referred to as Shincheonji) in February and March, and Sarangjeil Church in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul in August, a large-scale group infection from religious facilities occurred. It is also a concern that the BTJ heating center has worse seasonal requirements than the previous two cases.
Among the subjects of the epidemiological investigation of the BTJ Heating Center located in Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 1,300 have not yet been tested. In particular, there are concerns that the situation of non-cooperation in quarantine continues to occur, which is more serious than the Shincheonji incident.
◇ 713 confirmed cases, of which 484 more than secondary radio wave… 1,300 non-testers reached
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) on the 15th (hereinafter referred to as Bang Daebon), the number of infected patients who were diagnosed with a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) through group infection at the BTJ National Center reached 713 as of the 14th. The problem is that there are still 1300 people who have not been tested.
The number of non-testers exposed to Corona 19 through the BTJ Heath Center decreased from 1865 on the 12th to 1300 after two days, but it is still large. The percentage of people who did not receive diagnostic tests is 1,300 out of 3,000 subjects, which is 43% of the total.
Intercorp held various retreats from the end of November to mid-December last year on a one-night, two-day schedule. In addition, the quarantine authorities explained that members of the large auditorium were crowded and held events, and dozens of people gathered in one room to sleep.
Of the 713 confirmed cases of the BTJ Universal Center, 229 were infected by visiting the site. Afterwards, 484 people were classified as secondary radio waves or higher through confirmed cases. Due to the nature of Protestant religious organizations, further spreading is being made rapidly in other cities and roads other than Sangju, where the BTJ Universal Center is located.
At a briefing on the 14th, Park Young-joon, head of the epidemiological investigation team, said, “It is estimated that there are 3,000 visitors to the BTJ Center for the Nations. The positive rate is about 13%, and it is similar to when a large-scale infection occurred in other religious facilities.” .
As for the scale of the corona 19 exposure, Shincheonji has confirmed 5213 out of 9000-10,000 people, and Sarangjeil Church has 1173 out of 2,000-3,000 people. As of the 14th, TBJ Heath Center has only 3,000 people exposed to Corona 19. Considering the untested positive rate and N-th infection through an epidemiological investigation, it is expected to be recorded as the second largest group infection in religious facilities after Shincheonji.
As a result, the Corona 19 decline also slowed. The trend of new confirmed cases in Korea from January 1 to 14 (2 weeks) as of 0 o’clock ‘1027→820→657→1020→714→838→869→674→641→664→451→537→562→524 People’. The number of confirmed cases of regional outbreaks on an average daily for one week was 545.3, down 48 from 593.3 the previous day. On December 26, last year, it peaked at 1016.9 and is showing a downward trend.
It is also a problem that many of BTJ’s visitors to the World Center are showing a non-cooperative attitude to epidemiological investigations, such as turning off their mobile phones or denying the fact of their visit.
As the situation turned seriously, the National Health Insurance Corporation announced on the 12th that it would claim compensation for medical expenses of 2.6 billion won against BTJ National Center. This is because they violated the administrative order of local governments, refused epidemiological investigations, and interfered with quarantine. On September 25, last year, the Health Insurance Corporation announced that it would claim 560 million won worth of compensation against Sarangjeil Church and Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon.
Kwon Jun-wook, head of the 2nd Headquarters Bang Dae-bon, said, “Visitors to the BTJ World Center should keep in mind that the people are making sacrifices to restore their normal daily life.” “He emphasized.
 |
| On December 14, last year, the door to the prayer center was locked amid a new confirmed case occurred through a contact with a confirmed patient of Corona 19 related to the Daegu Youngshin Church at the Open Door Prayer Center in Jinnyang-eup, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do./News1 © News1 Reporter Jeong Shik |
◇80 cumulative confirmed patients at prayer center in Jinju… Religious facilities affected every three times
In addition to the BTJ World Center, the spread of Corona 19 through other religious facilities continues. According to Bang Dae-bon, as of 0 o’clock on the 14th, 7 additional contacts related to prayer centers in Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do occurred. The cumulative confirmed number increased to a total of 80.
Of all 80 confirmed patients, 76 visited the prayer center in person. The remaining four were classified into two families of visitors, one acquaintance, and one other. The areas where there were confirmed cases related to the prayer center were 62 in Gyeongnam, 10 in Busan, 2 in Ulsan and 2 in Gyeonggi. Incheon, Jeonnam, Daejeon, and Chungnam each have 1 person.
Seven additional confirmed cases related to religious facilities 2 in Gumi City also came out since the 6th. The total number of confirmed cases was 127. “Corona 19 continues to spread to the local community centering on religious facilities,” said Kwon Jun-wook, head of the 2nd headquarters. “People who visit the relevant religious facilities or come into contact with visitors, please receive an immediate examination.”
There are many criticisms that strong quarantine countermeasures should come out in that there are many confirmed cases related to religious facilities even in this third outbreak following the first outbreak in February-March last year and the second outbreak in the metropolitan area in August.
During the first epidemic, the number of confirmed cases was poured out of Shincheonji. Subsequently, in August, the scale of the epidemic increased as there were confirmed cases related to the Gwanghwamun city meeting and Sarangjeil Church. Unlike the first and second episodes of this third outbreak, it is true that there are more latent infections in the community, but it is negatively affecting the decline in Corona 19.
Many point out that the religious community, including Protestants, should cooperate in suppressing the third epidemic, such as expanding non-face-to-face worship. In fact, after a large number of people gathered in a space where group infections in most religious facilities were confined to worship or sharing food, Corona 19 spread.
In the report contents of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security’s Safety Newspaper announced on December 19 last year, there was a case of practicing sermons and praise without wearing a mask, or preparing for an event for two days and one night for Christmas thanksgiving service. In addition, cases where members of the church gathered every evening to study the Bible and had meals, gathered closely and had snacks and conversations through small groups of about 10 to 100 people, and church officials personally visited the member’s family to worship.
 |
| © News1 Designer Lee Ji-won |