The Central Quarantine Headquarters expect to mass-produce antibody treatments to fight the novel coronavirus within this month. The development of convalescent plasma therapy using the blood plasma of people who have recovered from COVID-19 is also gaining speed.

At a briefing on September 8, Kwon Jun-wook, vice director of the Central Quarantine Headquarters said, “At present, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is reviewing phase 2 and 3 clinical trials,” and added, “We plan to mass-produce commercial antibody treatments in September.” Antibody treatments amplify a certain part of antibodies that attack specific parts of the novel coronavirus.

According to the Quarantine Headquarters, phase 1 clinical trials of antibody treatments were approved in South Korea and the United Kingdom in July, leading to further R&D. The new drug will be evaluated on safety and effectiveness in three phases of clinical trials on humans. If the result from the final phase 3 clinical trial is favorable, the drug can be released in the market.

The development of a convalescent plasma therapy, another weapon to fight COVID-19, is also coming into sight. Convalescent plasma therapy extracts the antibodies from the plasma in the blood of a person who has recovered from COVID-19, which is then refined and produced into a drug. Currently doctors are verifying the safety and effectiveness of the drug on COVID-19 patients in six hospitals. The Quarantine Headquarters said that they would complete supplying the convalescent plasma treatment for clinical trials by mid-October.

However, recently sporadic clusters of COVID-19 transmissions continued. Four more cases were confirmed at the BF Mobile Telemarketing Call Center in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, where a total of 22 cases occurred. The newly confirmed cases were all families or acquaintances of the employees.

The clusters of transmission, which had centered on protestant churches, are now spreading to other religious facilities. Twelve cases were confirmed at a Nichiren Shoshu Seoul temple in Yeongdeungpo-gu Seoul from September 5 until this day, and four cases were confirmed since September 6 at the Susaek Catholic Church in Eunpyeong-gu. The city of Seoul will suggest a government ban on in-person activities at all religious facilities, in addition to churches.

As of midnight this day, 136 new daily cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in South Korea. This was 17 more than the previous day, but the number remained below 200 for the sixth consecutive day. Yoon Tae-ho, the director overseeing quarantine at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said, “We are seeing the effects of physical distancing and stopping the spread of contagion,” and added, “We will continue to secure hospital beds and living treatment centers to guarantee the sound treatment of patients.”