The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Seoul Arts Center on alert with 2 COVID-19 cases

Handel‘s ’Messiah‘ concert by National Chorus on Tuesday canceled

By Im Eun-byel

Published : Dec. 3, 2020 - 15:32

    • Link copied

The Seoul Arts Center in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul (SAC) The Seoul Arts Center in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul (SAC)

The Seoul Arts Center confirmed Thursday another case of coronavirus among its employees, bringing the total to two after another case was detected earlier this week.

On Monday, an employee at the state-funded art center in southern Seoul was confirmed to have the new coronavirus. Some 73 employees who had contact with the person were tested for the virus. Among the 73, one employee was tested positive and 70 were tested negative. Two employees are waiting for their results.

According to the Seoul Arts Center, the two COVID-19 patients work on the same floor at the Opera House, however, an epidemiological investigation must follow to determine the exact routes of the infection.

To prevent further spread of the virus, the Seoul Arts Center has divided its employees into two groups to take turns to working from home from Thursday.

The National Chorus of Korea canceled its performance of Handel’s Messiah slated for Tuesday.

Meanwhile, it was reported Wednesday that a temporary employee at the Seoul Arts Center was caught trying to secretly film in a women’s restroom at the center on Oct. 22. The man ran fled the scene, but police caught him on the premises the same day by checking security camera footage.

The Seoul Arts Center shared he no longer works at the center after the incident. Also, the art center has been renovating its 190 restroom stalls to prevent similar crimes. It has been running regular inspections every week to detect secret filming devices, too.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)