[Q&A] Mild Patients Also Waiting... "Accommodating 2,000 by the End of This Week"

On the morning of the 2nd, bedding materials were piled up at the Creative Hall of the Central Education Training Institute of the Ministry of Education in Sinseo-dong, Dong-gu, Daegu City, to accommodate mild confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] It has been revealed that approximately 2,300 patients in Daegu who tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) are still waiting for hospitalization.

Kim Kang-rip, the 1st Chief Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, stated at a regular briefing held at the Government Sejong Complex that "about 2,300 confirmed cases in Daegu are waiting without being admitted to hospitals or residential treatment centers."

The government plans to accommodate around 2,000 mild patients in residential treatment centers by the end of this week. Starting from the 5th, facilities such as the Seoul National University Hospital Training Center in Mungyeong City, Hanti Retreat House in Chilgok, Gyeongbuk, where medical staff from Seoul St. Mary's Hospital will participate, and the Daegu Bank Training Center will also be opened.

Kim, the 1st Chief Coordinator, said, "Local governments including Daegu need to make more active efforts to expand residential support centers," adding, "We will ensure the expansion proceeds without any setbacks."

◇ Below is a Q&A with Kim, the 1st Chief Coordinator, regarding residential treatment centers

- You mentioned increasing the number of residential treatment center rooms nationwide to 5,000.

▲ We are currently discussing the rapid expansion of residential treatment centers. Basically, we are prioritizing facilities of national and public institutions. We are also requesting cooperation from private lodging facilities and training centers. After hearing various conditions of these institutions, we need to review whether to proceed. Additionally, we are consulting on whether support from the relevant local governments can be obtained. Some local governments have expressed that further consideration is necessary, but we will explain as soon as decisions are finalized.

- The government requested tertiary general hospitals to dispatch infectious disease and respiratory medicine doctors to residential treatment centers.

▲ Hospitals capable of providing medical management for residential treatment centers are needed. For example, currently, Samsung Medical Center, including Samsung Seoul Hospital, and Daegu Education Training Center, with Kyungpook National University Hospital, are responsible. They support the treatment capacity by linking specialized personnel from the main hospital behind the scenes as much as possible.

- Are there any psychological treatment programs or counseling measures prepared for those isolated in residential treatment centers?

▲ Since patients are infected with an unfamiliar disease, they are in a very anxious psychological state. Staying away from home in a facility, they may express various psychological anxieties. Accordingly, arrangements have been made so that they can receive psychological counseling through local mental health centers and others.

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