'21st COVID-19 Death' 80-Year-Old Woman Dies While Awaiting Test Results

On the morning of the 26th of last month, citizens are receiving medical examinations at a screening clinic related to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) installed in front of Myeongseong Church in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] An 80-year-old grandmother who was waiting for the results of a novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) test was found dead at home. She is the fourth person to die without receiving hospital treatment for COVID-19 after being confirmed positive, either while waiting for hospitalization or awaiting test results.

According to health authorities on the 1st, around 8 p.m., A (80) was found dead by her son at a home in Suseong-gu, Daegu. The positive confirmation was notified to A’s daughter-in-law around 6 p.m. that day. A had undergone a COVID-19 test at Suseong Public Health Center on the 26th due to fever symptoms and was waiting at home for the results.

The 119 emergency medical team who responded reportedly said after seeing the body, "It appears she had been deceased for about four hours." Health authorities are investigating the exact circumstances of the death.

A is the 21st COVID-19 death in South Korea and the fourth to die without receiving hospital treatment. On the 27th of last month, the 13th death occurred when the patient’s condition worsened while waiting for hospitalization. The 20th death, which occurred on the same day as A’s death, also happened at home while waiting for admission, after showing symptoms such as respiratory distress. The 14th death also occurred on the 28th of last month at 5:39 a.m., when the patient, in self-quarantine, complained of respiratory distress and was urgently transferred to the emergency room of Daegu Catholic University Hospital but died within an hour of arrival.

As the number of patients waiting for hospitalization increases due to a shortage of beds and medical personnel, there are calls for more meticulous management of patients awaiting admission. As of 9 a.m. that day, Daegu, the region with the highest number of confirmed cases, had 2,569 confirmed patients. Among them, 898 patients (773 in Daegu, 125 from other regions) were hospitalized. 1,661 patients were waiting for hospitalization at home. Among those waiting, 19 were identified as severe cases requiring priority admission.

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