Two Nurses Working in COVID-19 Patient Treatment Ward Confirmed Positive (Update)

Goyang Myeongji Hospital Regional Emergency Medical Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Two nurses working in a ward treating patients with the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) have tested positive.

According to Gyeonggi Province and the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 26th, two nurses in their 20s working in the COVID-19 confirmed patient isolation ward at Myongji Hospital tested positive. Following the confirmation of one nurse the previous day, another nurse tested positive in tests conducted on all medical staff working in the isolation ward on this day.

This hospital operates nationally designated negative pressure isolation beds in the northwestern Gyeonggi region. Currently, five confirmed patients, including critically ill ones, are hospitalized and receiving treatment. Among those tested, as of 12 PM on this day, all except the two confirmed cases tested negative. The rest are awaiting test results.

The patient who was first confirmed positive reportedly worked in the confirmed patient isolation ward until the 23rd. It was identified that the patient who tested positive on this day had shared a meal with the first confirmed patient. Both patients reportedly showed no particular symptoms at the time of confirmation. Currently, health authorities and local governments are conducting epidemiological investigations regarding the infection route and contacts.

Although the infection route has not yet been identified, since they were in close proximity while treating existing confirmed patients, authorities are considering the possibility of infection during the treatment process or while putting on and taking off protective suits. At a briefing on this day, Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said, "Since they were aware that they were working with confirmed patients, I believe they paid close attention to infection control," but added, "We consider the highest risk to be exposure to contaminated areas when removing protective suits."

She continued, "We conduct extensive training on putting on and taking off personal protective equipment, but we plan to investigate what issues occurred and what improvements are needed, and work with Myongji Hospital to make corrections."

According to health authorities, as of the 21st, four medical staff presumed to have been infected while treating COVID-19 patients were reported. All four were nurses from Busan and Daegu.

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