More Than 100 Infections in South Korea Linked to Fitness Classes

A report from South Korea showed that the country's coronavirus infection has increased again, and one of the culprits is the indoor fitness classes. Medical experts found evidence that an intense dance workshop, even though it is only done once, led to the spread of COVID-19 to 112 people.

However, the infections were not recent because the fitness classes were held back in February and all of the 112 cases were identified by March 9, but the new research shows how fast the virus can spread especially in enclosed spaces.

Packed fitness classes

The workshop was held in Cheonan, South Korea, with 30 instructors. They all trained intensely for 4 straight hours and while none of the participants had the virus at the time, 8 instructors tested positive for COVID-19. A team at Dankook University Hospital wrote in their research that the people who attended the fitness classes were asymptomatic.

The research can be read in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. On March 9, the city government recorded 112 new cases. The infected people were said to have attended the dance classes in Cheonan. Half of the coronavirus cases happened because of direct transmission from the dance instructors to the students, and some infected other people right after the classes.

The Dankook team added that the dance instructors and students met only during the dance classes, and each class lasted for 50 minutes. They only met twice a week and did not have any contact outside of the classes. The students eventually developed COVID-19 symptoms three and a half days after they participated in the fitness dance class.

The team added that before the sports facilities were made to shut down, 217 students were exposed to 12 different facilities, which resulted in an attack rate of 26.3%. Dance classes, referred to as Zumba classes, are popular in South Korea because of its music and intensity. Zumba classes normally have packed rooms.

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According to Dankook's research, there are numerous factors that may have made it easier for asymptomatic people to get infected. It could be because of the warm atmosphere in the sports facilities where the classes were held. Another is the limited airflow. Intense physical exercise was also done and it may have caused the transmission of droplets.

Classes that were connected to the coronavirus spread had around 22 students per class and it took place in confined spaces for 50 minutes to an hour. For the classes that had five participants, there were no new cases recorded.

Club infection

Aside from the fitness classes, the reopening of clubs in Itaewon, South Korea, had led to another coronavirus outbreak. The said outbreak happened days before the government was about to lift the restrictions on social distancing, and just when most businesses in the country were allowed to reopen.

According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or KCDC, there were 86 cases on May 11, and it included 63 club visitors and 23 family members and friends who came in contact with those who were infected. The Seoul city government reported an additional 8 coronavirus cases, bringing the total number to 94.