Hwasun-gun, 14 Close Contacts and Family Members of Confirmed Cases Test Negative

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Young-gyun] Hwasun-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Gu Chung-gon) announced on the 19th that all 10 close contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case tested negative for the virus.

The confirmed patient's wife, son, and parents?four family members in total?also tested negative.

According to the epidemiological investigation, Mr. A visited a clinic and pharmacy located in Hwasun-eup on the afternoon of the 12th to treat his chronic allergic rhinitis.

Jeollanam-do epidemiologists conducted an investigation using CCTV footage and classified three medical staff, four patients, and three pharmacy workers as close contacts.

The county, in cooperation with the relevant local government, conducted infection tests on the confirmed patient's four family members currently residing in Gwangju as a preemptive measure.

Among the 10 close contacts, five reside in Hwasun, while the others live in different areas.

Close contacts under self-quarantine are being monitored daily by dedicated one-on-one personnel.

Earlier, on the 17th at 7:40 a.m., the clinic and pharmacy were urgently disinfected and temporarily closed.

Following the epidemiological investigation, the clinic decided to remain closed until the 26th in accordance with the Central Disease Control Headquarters' guidelines and its own judgment, while the pharmacy resumed operations at 2:40 p.m., seven hours after disinfection, staffed only by pharmacists and employees who had no contact with the confirmed patient.

The county and epidemiologists confirmed through the pharmacy's CCTV footage on the 17th that the pharmacy had been regularly conducting self-disinfection weekly and had also disinfected two days after the confirmed patient's visit, on the 15th.

After verifying the confirmed patient's mask-wearing status, duration of stay, exposure level, and the pharmacy's self-disinfection status during the visit, and consulting with Jeollanam-do epidemiologists, the decision was made to resume business.

Additionally, daily disinfection is being carried out around the clinic and pharmacy visited by the confirmed patient, major roads in Hwasun-eup, and nearby apartment complexes.

A health center official stated, “The pharmacy has been conducting self-disinfection, and considering the low exposure level confirmed by the epidemiological investigation, business was resumed following government response guidelines. Since airborne viruses mostly disappear within a day, there is no significant cause for concern when considering the timing of the confirmed patient's visit, the pharmacy's disinfection, and the epidemiological investigation results.”

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