[Full Text] Kim Seong-ho, Yeungnam University Hospital Director, "Truth Will Be Revealed in 17-Year-Old High School Student's Death"

On the afternoon of the 18th, medical staff were busy moving around the emergency room at Yeungnam University Hospital in Nam-gu, Daegu. Health authorities tested for COVID-19 infection after a 17-year-old boy showing pneumonia symptoms died at Yeungnam University Hospital that day.
(Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jucheol In] Yeungnam University Hospital expressed its bewilderment after a 17-year-old high school student who died of pneumonia symptoms in Daegu was finally tested negative for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

On the 19th, right after the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested the possibility of contamination or technical errors in Yeungnam University Hospital's laboratory, Kim Seong-ho, director of Yeungnam University Hospital, sent a text message to department heads within the hospital stating, "I believe the truth will be revealed through quality control and re-examination."

Below is the full text of the message Director Kim sent to the department heads.

We apologize for causing concern regarding the COVID-19 positive status of the 17-year-old patient who passed away yesterday.

Based on the patient's imaging findings and clinical presentation, the possibility of COVID pneumonia was considered very high. Although a negative result was reported from Gyeongsang Central Hospital, our hospital's medical staff conducted seven rounds of testing.

In the final stages, we also tested urine and BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage). Due to atypical but suspicious positive findings in the last urine test, we requested an authoritative interpretation from the Korea CDC. Today's test result was negative, and it was interpreted as contamination or technical error.

While we did our best until the end, we do not know if there was any error, but if there had been contamination or technical errors in the laboratory, other tests would have been affected as well, which was not the case.

We believe the truth will be revealed through quality control and re-examination. Please extend words of encouragement and comfort to the testing team who have worked very hard during this time.

Stay strong, YUMC!

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