Daegu Surpasses 1,000 Confirmed Cases, Faces Triple Burden in Medical Response

Medical staff are preparing to test suspected patients of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at the screening clinic of Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital in Buk-gu, Daegu. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Choi Dae-yeol, Kim Heung-soon, Jung Dong-hoon] Daegu Metropolitan City, where a cluster infection of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) occurred, surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases on the 27th, becoming the first local government in the country to do so. It has been nine days since the first patient in the Yeongnam region was reported in this area on the 18th. As the number of new patients rapidly increases by about 100 per day on average, the local medical response system is struggling to keep up with the pace. Three major challenges have emerged: securing additional nationally designated inpatient treatment beds, treatment issues for patients with other underlying diseases, and concerns over thousands of confirmed cases linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu.

307 Confirmed Overnight Including Shincheonji Daegu Church Members
63.8% of National Confirmed Cases from Daegu

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for COVID-19, as of 9 a.m. on this day, Daegu had 1,017 confirmed COVID-19 cases. This accounts for 63.8% of the total domestic cases (1,595). The number of new patients started at 83 on the 22nd and increased to around 100 daily, with 307 new cases reported overnight from 4 p.m. the previous day. The rapid increase in confirmed cases was due to focused diagnostic testing conducted on those who reported suspected COVID-19 symptoms among approximately 9,300 Shincheonji Daegu Church members.

According to the Shincheonji Daegu Church, as of 8 p.m. the previous day, 1,848 people had been tested for COVID-19, of whom 833 tested positive. Since not all of these cases have been reflected in the official government tally, the number of confirmed cases is expected to rise further this afternoon. In the Gyeongbuk region, where 114 patients related to Cheongdo Daenam Hospital were reported, the number of new cases is decreasing. While 117 new cases were reported on the 22nd, the daily average has since dropped to double digits, with only four new cases overnight, contrasting with Daegu. The cumulative confirmed cases in Gyeongbuk stood at 321 as of 9 a.m. this day.

Urgent Need to Secure Additional Nationally Designated Beds
Currently 1,013 Beds... Private Hospitals Reluctant to Accept Patients

According to Daegu city and health authorities, as of this morning, there are 1,013 nationally designated inpatient treatment beds operating in Daegu for confirmed patients. So far, 447 patients have been admitted. Approximately 100 more patients are expected to be admitted today to Daegu Medical Center (49 beds), Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital (70 beds), Yeungnam University Hospital (73 beds), and Daegu Catholic University Hospital (75 beds).

Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin said, "There is an absolute shortage of beds to treat confirmed patients," adding, "We are continuously negotiating with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to secure additional beds." A representative from a nationally designated hospital in Daegu stated, "Utilizing private hospital beds could provide some relief, but there is a reluctance to accept COVID-19 patients, so we have no choice but to focus on 'national beds.' About 30% of confirmed patients in the region are currently self-isolating while waiting for hospital beds." Daegu is also conducting construction work to secure 300 beds at the Armed Forces Daegu Hospital.

Displaced Local Patients with Underlying Conditions, Deaths During Transfer of Critical Patients to Other Hospitals
Response Paralysis if 10,000 Shincheonji Daegu Church Members Confirmed

Even if beds with capacity are found, it is difficult for confirmed patients to be admitted immediately. A Daegu city official said, "Patients hospitalized for other underlying diseases need to be transferred to other hospitals, and the ambulance disinfection process takes time," adding, "As the number of patients rapidly increases, we are unable to transfer isolated patients quickly."

A medical official in Daegu said, "Since medical staff and beds are focused on responding to COVID-19, additional problems such as deaths occurring during the transfer of critical patients with other underlying diseases to other hospitals have arisen," expressing concern that "these deaths are not reflected in statistics, raising fears of further damage."

The greatest anxiety in Daegu is the rapid increase in patients related to the Shincheonji Daegu Church. A representative from a nationally designated hospital said, "It appears that 80% of Shincheonji members who reported symptoms suspected to be colds or other illnesses tested positive for COVID-19," emphasizing, "There are nearly 10,000 believers in Daegu alone, and if a mass outbreak occurs among them, the medical system will become unable to respond."

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