1,090 Seoul students test positive for COVID-19 in 1st week of full school reopening

November 29, 2021

A total of 1,090 students in Seoul have tested positive for COVID-19 since schools resumed full-fledged in-person classes last week under eased virus curbs, education authorities said Tuesday.

Ninety-five school officials in the capital also tested positive for the virus between Monday and Sunday of last week, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

Of the total of infected students and officials, 426, or 36 percent, were household transmissions, while 395, or 33.3 percent, were cases with unidentified infection routes.

Transmissions in schools also accounted for 18.8 percent, or 223 cases.

This Nov. 22, 2021, file photo shows students listening to an in-person class at an elementary school in the central city of Daejeon. (Yonhap)

This Nov. 22, 2021, file photo shows students listening to an in-person class at an elementary school in the central city of Daejeon. (Yonhap)

All kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools nationwide fully resumed in-person classes last Monday in line with the country’s “living with COVID-19″ scheme, which kicked off earlier this month to gradually bring the country back to pre-pandemic normalcy.

The daily attendance rate of a total of 824,400 elementary, middle and high school students in Seoul has surpassed 86 percent since the full reopening, according to the education office.

The education office allows schools to change their attendance policies flexibly considering the virus situation and class density.

To contain virus transmissions among students, the education office said it will beef up antivirus inspections at facilities they often use, such as internet cafes and study cafes.

nyway@yna.co.kr