Prime Minister Jeong: "Daegu and Gyeongbuk Confirmed Cases Decreasing, A Small Blessing in Misfortune"

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun is entering the meeting room to attend the 'Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting for COVID-19 Response' held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 12th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun said on the 12th, "Looking at the statistics this morning, the situation has returned to the level of February 19 and 20, when a large number of confirmed cases first appeared in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions. It is a relief that after three weeks, we have returned to the original position."

On the same day, Prime Minister Jeong held a meeting with infectious disease experts responding to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at the Government Seoul Office and stated, "It has been some time since we last met in early February, and during that time, the number of confirmed cases in Daegu and Gyeongbuk exploded, causing much concern."

On the 7th of last month, Prime Minister Jeong held a meeting with heads of medical organizations to seek advice on COVID-19 prevention measures. As of midnight that day, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country was 7,869, an increase of 114 from the previous day. New confirmed cases included 73 in Daegu, 8 in Gyeongbuk, and 18 in Seoul.

Prime Minister Jeong mentioned, "The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a pandemic, and it is fundamental for us to be more vigilant to prevent domestic transmission. We also face the challenge of effectively blocking overseas inflows from countries such as Italy, other European nations, Iran, Japan, and the United States."

He added, "Recently, cluster infections have increased in places like nursing homes and call centers, so the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) is carefully considering how to respond appropriately. I wanted to hear your opinions on how to proceed, so despite your busy schedules, I asked you to come."

Prime Minister Jeong expressed gratitude, saying, "I appreciate the experts' help in transitioning the quarantine system to operate living treatment centers. Without this, it would have been impossible to secure hospital beds for all confirmed patients in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions. By around this week, there will be no one waiting, and all patients can be accommodated in hospital rooms or living treatment centers."

Furthermore, he said, "The consensus seems to be that it will take more time, but the government intends to listen carefully to the experts and receive their support to fight COVID-19 effectively. Please feel free to share your opinions candidly, and we will reflect them well in the future CDSCH policies. Thank you for taking your valuable time."

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