After the Covid-19 coronavirus started spreading all over the world, we discovered that there were basically two types of people.
The first group is made up of cautious, rational individuals who listen to the authorities and take any precautions necessary to avoid infecting others.
The other group is made up of what scientists call “Jerks”. These people care about nothing but themselves and will risk infecting others to avoid any personal inconvenience.
And when these Jerks take things too far, like possibly infecting 231 people in a church, they get upgraded to a Crazy Ajumma.
More Info About Patient 31 in South Korea Emerges & People Are Now Calling Her ‘Crazy Ajumma’
On Tuesday (18 Feb), South Korea only had 31 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Now, they have a whopping 556 confirmed infections.
Sounds impossible?
Well, with Crazy Ajumma, nothing is impossible.
You see, it all started with one woman in a church. The Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the south-eastern city of Daegu, that is.
Despite having symptoms such as a sore throat and fever, the 61-year-old woman refused twice to test for the coronavirus and even attended church services at least four times despite her condition worsening.
And it’s not just that.
The woman even roamed freely after being warded for 10 days in a hospital after a car accident and even left the hospital to have lunch with friends at a buffet restaurant and spent time at a Korea spa in the neighbouring city of Cheongdo, where infections linked to a hospital are rapidly increasing.
According to local reports, the woman even argued with a health official for an hour before finally agreeing to take the coronavirus test.
Known as Patient No.31, the woman later tested positive for the virus on 18 Feb after which the number of cases in Daegu skyrocketed and the authorities started labelling her as a “super spreader”.
Angered by her actions, netizens started calling her “Crazy Ajumma” (auntie in Korean) because of her thoughtlessness.
Number Could Continue to Rise
Health officials have warned that the number of cases could rise further as more than 1,200 church followers are displaying flu-like symptoms.
As a result, Daegu mayor Kwon Young-jin urged the city’s 2.5 million residents to stay indoors and avoid gatherings and religious activities in order to prevent further spread of the illness.
“Korea is not fighting the coronavirus, but the Daegu Shincheonji virus,” one netizen named Leslie commented on Web portal Daum that drew over 40,000 likes.
Unorthodox Practices Could Have Led to Spread
For those who don’t know, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus was founded in 1984 and has over 200,000 followers.
Shincheonji, which means “new heaven and earth” in Korean, has been described as an apocalyptic Christian group and branded a cult by some.
Some observers say that their the church’s unconventional practices could have contributed to the rapid spread of the disease.
One former member said he was required to kneel on floor cushions placed 10cm apart and hold hands with the people around him during regular church services, which lasted two hours.
And church members would always bring lunch boxes to the service and share with others who did not bring any food, he added.
That’s perfectly okay during peacetime, but at this moment?
Cue the WTF cat in, please.
Virus an “Act of the Devil”
Another former member said that they were trained to sing hymns loudly and not wear anything on their faces, such as glasses or masks. They were also trained not to fear illnesses, he added.
Reader: Well, they should definitely wear masks if they’re unwell, but not fearing illness seems like a rational thing to-
The church’s founder, Lee Man-hee, also called the coronavirus “an act of the devil who saw the rapid growth of Shincheonji and wants to destroy our advancement”.
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Reader: Uh ok I take that back.
Lee sent a message to church members via an app saying members should avoid meeting for the time being but continue to communicate in matters of education.
The church has suspended worship services and gatherings nationwide.
The branch in Daegu has been shut down and the city authorities have been given a list of 9,300 people who regularly attend services.
“Deeply Sorry”
In a statement, Shincheonji said it was “deeply sorry that because of one of our members, who thought of her condition as a cold because she had not travelled abroad, (it) led to many in our church being infected and thereby caused concern to the local community”.
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If you don’t want to be the next Crazy Ajumma, dear reader, please see a doctor if you are unwell and stay at home.
Even if you booked an expensive appointment at a Korean spa.
Just stay home to watch Crash Landing on You. That one, not bad.
