An insurance call center, which has emerged as Seoul’s biggest cluster of COVID-19 cases, is feared to have caused more widespread infections in the metropolitan area as many of its employees and visitors were found to have frequently used public transportation systems. 

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday, many of the call center employees commuted from eight different districts, as their office is located near busy subway stations and bus stops. 

Some of the employees who were diagnosed with COVID-19 live in cities in Gyeonggi Province, such as Anyang, Uijeongbu, Bucheon and Gwangmyeong, and get to work using subway Line 1. 

The Korea Building, which houses the call center, is located between Guro Station on Line 1 and Sindorim Station on Line 2

Major shopping centers near the stations closed their doors to conduct disinfection work after they learned some of the infected call center employees made recent visits.

There are also fears the highly contagious virus may have spread to other commercial and residential spaces in and around the Korea Building, including a wedding hall and coffee shops. Studio apartments, which can accommodate up to 140 households, are also located there. 

Residents, employees and customers have been sharing only five elevators in the building. The call center employees, many of whom were known to have not worn masks while on the job, used those elevators to get to their office, which was spread out on four different floors.

As of Tuesday afternoon, at least 50 employees at the call center and their family members were confirmed to have the virus with many other employees awaiting test results.