K-pop idol Yoon-hak spreads Covid-19 to woman from adult entertainment business and possibly 500 others: Reports

K-pop idol Yoon-hak spreads Covid-19 to woman from adult entertainment business and possibly 500 others: Reports
PHOTO: Instagram/unagi1202

Is South Korea looking at another big coronavirus cluster? 

Just yesterday (April 8), it was reported that Supernova's Jung Yoon-hak infected a female acquaintance A with Covid-19, who in turn infected her roommate, and potentially hundreds more.

As A works at an adult entertainment establishment in Gangnam (it is unclear what her job is exactly), many assumed that Yoon-hak visited the business, but his agency has rubbished those claims.

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They said: "It's true that the adult entertainment establishment worker who has tested positive is an acquaintance of Yoon-hak's, however they just met at another location. Yoon-hak did not visit an adult entertainment establishment."

Still, many accusatory fingers are now pointing at the 35-year-old singer-actor for not self-quarantining himself after an overseas trip.

Yoon-hak was previously reported to have contracted Covid-19 after returning from Japan on March 24. He received a positive diagnosis on April 1, becoming the first South Korean celebrity to be infected with the coronavirus.

According to media reports, he met with A on March 26. The woman went to work as usual on March 27 and was there till the morning of March 28. It was reported that there were more than 100 staff as well as over 500 guests present at that time.

A developed symptoms on March 29 and was subsequently diagnosed with the coronavirus on April 2. She became Gangnam's 44th Covid-19 case.

Her roommate entered self-isolation after A was diagnosed, taking a test on April 2 which came back negative. However, she repeated the test again on April 5 and was diagnosed with Covid-19 the following day, becoming Gangnam's 51st case.

Officials have explained to Korean media that Case 44 contracted the disease from being in contact with Yoon-hak, while Case 51 contracted it from the former.

Yoon-hak has been receiving treatment for a week and while he initially had mild symptoms, he's now classified as a "critical patient" and is "focused on getting treated".

Officials are monitoring the staff and guests who were in the adult entertainment establishment during the time A was at work.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.

bryanlim@asiaone.com

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