COVID-19 Patient No. 29 Visited Clinic and Emergency Room Before Isolation... "Infection Route Under Investigation" (Comprehensive)

29th confirmed patient identified in the early morning of the 16th... Korean male in his 80s
No history of overseas travel, did not go through screening clinic... "Infection route under investigation"
Quarantine authorities "Considering strengthening community surveillance and expanding proactive response"

On the 16th, after closing the emergency room of Korea University Hospital in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, where the 29th COVID-19 patient had visited, disinfection measures were initiated. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The 29th confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in Korea was additionally identified on the 16th. Before being confirmed in the early morning of that day, the patient visited a university hospital emergency room for treatment, and it was confirmed that he had also visited two clinic-level medical institutions earlier. The quarantine authorities are investigating whether there was contact with existing patients, but since he has no history of overseas travel and the possibility of community infection has increased, it is expected that identifying the specific infection route will not be easy.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters, the 29th patient visited the emergency room of Korea University Anam Hospital at 11 a.m. the previous day due to chest discomfort. While receiving treatment under suspicion of myocardial infarction, pneumonia signs were found in a CT scan, and based on the medical staff's judgment, a COVID-19 diagnostic test was conducted. Classified as a suspected case at that time, he was first transferred to an inpatient isolation bed around 2 a.m. that day. After testing positive, he was moved to Seoul National University Hospital, a government-designated inpatient treatment hospital, where he is currently receiving isolated inpatient treatment.

It was also confirmed that he visited two clinic-level medical institutions before coming to the emergency room. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether he received treatment at those places. Director Jung Eun-kyung said, "He has no history of overseas travel and received treatment for chest pain such as myocardial infarction, so some exposure within the hospital is presumed," adding, "We are analyzing CCTV and tracing his movements to investigate exposed individuals, and the emergency room has temporarily suspended treatment."

On the 16th, after closing the emergency room of Korea University Hospital in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, where the 29th COVID-19 patient had visited, disinfection measures were initiated. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The newly confirmed patient is an 82-year-old Korean male, the oldest among the patients confirmed so far in Korea. He lives in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and it is known that he also visited a senior citizens' center before going to the hospital. The senior citizens' center had already been closed for several days due to the recent impact of COVID-19, and an investigation is currently underway to determine whether there were any contacts at this location after the 29th patient showed symptoms.

The confirmation of a COVID-19 patient in Korea comes six days after the 28th patient was identified on the 10th. Nine patients have recovered and been discharged so far, unchanged from the previous day. Approximately 7,900 people have been tested, with 7,313 testing negative and released from isolation. The remaining 577 are still undergoing testing.

As community infections are gradually increasing in places like Singapore and Japan, and the possibility of patients with unidentified infection sources emerging domestically grows, there is growing interest in whether the authorities will strengthen quarantine measures. Director Jung said, "We are considering measures to strengthen surveillance of community infections, expand selective testing for patients without epidemiological links, and proactively isolate them, thereby generally enhancing our response."

Meanwhile, as of 9 a.m. that day, the total number of confirmed cases worldwide was 69,166, with 1,669 deaths reported. China reported 66,500 cases with 1,665 deaths, while Singapore and Hong Kong confirmed 72 and 56 cases respectively (with one death in Hong Kong). Japan has 52 cases (one death), and cruise ship patients number 285. Additionally, Thailand has 34 cases, Malaysia 21, Taiwan 18, Vietnam 16, and Macau 10. In Europe, France has 12 cases (one death), Germany 16, and the United Kingdom 9. Australia has 15 confirmed cases, and Egypt in Africa has reported one case.

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