Preventing the 'Je2 Daenam Hospital Incident'... Authorities Conduct Mental Ward Status Inspection

Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, where a large number of confirmed cases and deaths from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) occurred, made its first official statement on the 24th regarding the situation and revealed the current living conditions inside the closed facility. The photo shows the daily life of the medical staff.

[Asia Economy Reporters Choi Dae-yeol and Jo Hyun-ui] The government has launched an inspection of psychiatric closed wards nationwide. This measure aims to prevent a recurrence of incidents like those at Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, Gyeongbuk, where numerous COVID-19 cases and deaths occurred.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters announced that, together with local governments, it will conduct a full survey of psychiatric closed wards across the country by the 25th. Starting from the 24th, a two-day inspection is underway to review infection control measures such as exclusion of staff from duties and restrictions on external visitors. It is known that there are about 420 psychiatric closed wards nationwide. A similar survey was recently conducted targeting nursing hospitals across the country.

The government plans to check whether all staff working in or entering closed wards have traveled to regions subject to special entry procedures, including China. They will verify if staff with travel history have been excluded from work, and if not, whether proper records have been maintained. The overall situation will be assessed, including whether there are pneumonia patients among inpatients in closed wards, what measures have been taken for these patients, and whether visits by family or external visitors are properly restricted.

According to health authorities, on the 5th floor psychiatric closed ward of Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo, over 100 inpatients, except for two, have been infected with COVID-19, and six have died. Due to the nature of closed wards, frequent contact among patients, medical staff, and between patients occurs in confined spaces, making them vulnerable to infectious diseases. Many patients have been hospitalized for extended periods, resulting in weakened immunity and a higher risk of progressing to severe symptoms, which is a concerning factor.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters explained, "Due to the vulnerability of closed wards to infectious diseases, access by outsiders will be restricted as much as possible, and the full survey will be conducted through written questionnaires."

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