Gangnam-gu Thoroughly Tracks Movement and Conducts Epidemiological Investigation of Confirmed Wuhan Pneumonia Cases

Gangnam-gu Mayor Jeong Soon-gyun Orders Expansion of Response Team and Thorough Measures... Contact Tracing and Quarantine Conducted at 11 Locations

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jung Soon-gyun) confirmed that a 54-year-old resident of Wuhan, China, who was the third confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Korea, visited 11 locations within the Gangnam area, including hotels and plastic surgery clinics, from January 20th after entering the country until being quarantined on the 25th. In response, an emergency response team was formed to identify close contacts through tracing the patient’s movements and to conduct thorough disinfection of the sites.

On the morning of January 27th, Gangnam-gu held its third countermeasure meeting at the Gangnam Public Health Center, chaired by Mayor Jung Soon-gyun. To prevent the spread of novel coronavirus symptoms, an emergency duty order was issued to district office and health center staff to strengthen tracing of the confirmed patient’s movements and epidemiological investigations of contacts, while also promoting preventive measures and behavioral guidelines to local residents.

Gangnam-gu traced the patient’s movements by tracking statements, CCTV footage, and credit card usage, confirming visits to 11 locations within the district, including Globi Plastic Surgery Clinic in Apgujeong-dong and Hotel Newv in Yeoksam-dong, as well as restaurants, pharmacies, and convenience stores. On January 26th, the first round of investigations was completed for 8 locations and 61 contacts. The remaining 3 locations, which were closed for the holiday, were scheduled for epidemiological investigation and identification of close contacts by the afternoon of January 27th.

Among the 61 close contacts, 7 residents living within the district are under active monitoring for 14 days, while the remaining 54 contacts residing in other cities or districts have been referred to their respective local health centers.

During on-site checks, one Hotel Newv employee showing symptoms was identified on January 26th and urgently transferred to an isolation ward at Seoul National University Hospital. After detailed testing, the employee was confirmed negative on January 27th and released from isolation at 11 a.m. that day. Close contacts will be actively monitored for 14 days from their last contact with the confirmed patient.

The Gangnam Public Health Center urged the public to prevent novel coronavirus infection by following these guidelines: washing hands for at least 30 seconds, wearing masks, practicing proper cough etiquette, and reporting any fever or respiratory symptoms to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call center (1339).

Additionally, they advised caution for the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, recommended refraining from visiting patients, and requested that those who have visited high-risk areas such as China limit their activities during the 2-week incubation period.

□ Timeline of Measures

○ Patient’s travel route

January 20, 2020 (Mon) 08:20 Departed Wuhan → 10:25 Transit at Qingdao → 20:40 Entered Korea via Incheon Airport

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 00:46 Notification received from Seoul official (Yoo Dong-seok) of the third confirmed (suspected) case in Korea. The main activity areas were hotels and hospitals in Gangnam-gu. Notification received that an on-site response team would be established at Gangnam Public Health Center that morning.

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 10:00 On-site response team established in the Health Education Room on the 3rd floor of Gangnam Public Health Center

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 11:00 First countermeasure meeting of the on-site response team

- Attendees: 6 members from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Immediate Response Team 1, 4 epidemiologists and infectious disease management support staff from Seoul City, 8 members from the Health and Infectious Disease Response Team, 5 police officers

- Main discussion points: Operation of the on-site response team and establishment of priority action plans

- Tracing contacts and movements since the initial symptom onset date (January 22)

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 12:00 Two teams of 5 members each dispatched to key locations in Gangnam-gu: Globi Plastic Surgery Clinic and Hotel Newv

※ Team composition: 1 epidemiologist from Korea CDC, 1 member from Seoul Infectious Disease Management Support Team, 1 health center staff, 1 police officer, 1 disinfection worker

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 15:18 Basic epidemiological investigation conducted after a symptomatic individual was identified among contacts at Hotel Newv

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 15:20 Obtained confirmed patient’s credit card usage history (11 locations since January 22)

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 15:25 Dispatched to Hotel Newv to transfer symptomatic individual to screening clinic

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 16:00 After confirming usage at restaurants and other locations, dispatched 2 additional members (total 11 locations identified)

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 16:05 Symptomatic individual arrived at screening clinic and clinical symptoms rechecked

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 16:20 Specimens collected from symptomatic individual and sent to Korea CDC for classification (3 specimens: upper and lower respiratory tract)

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 16:30 Korea CDC classified the individual as a suspected patient and requested a nationally designated hospital bed from Seoul City

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 17:25 ~ 18:05 Suspected patient transferred to Seoul National University Hospital

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 17:30 Gangnam-gu countermeasure meeting held (23 attendees including the mayor)

- District office (10 attendees including the Administrative Management Director), Public Health Center (12 attendees including the Health Center Director)

○ January 26, 2020 (Sun) 19:00 Gangnam-gu countermeasure meeting held (23 attendees including the mayor)

- 1 Korea CDC official, district office (10 attendees including the Administrative Management Director), Public Health Center (12 attendees including the Health Center Director)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.