Park Neung-hoo: "If quarantine rules are well followed, there is almost no additional transmission even if a confirmed case visits"

Park Neung-hoo, First Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of Health and Welfare, right), is speaking while presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 response at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City on the morning of the 18th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Park Neung-hoo, the first head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said on the 18th that regarding the fact that the Itaewon club cluster infection did not spread on a large scale, "It has once again been confirmed that thoroughly practicing quarantine rules in daily life is effective in blocking further transmission."

Before presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Headquarters meeting on COVID-19 that day, Head Park said, "The number of confirmed cases related to the Itaewon cluster infection has remained in single digits since last Saturday." He added, "Religious facilities and call centers were considered vulnerable to COVID-19 due to the close proximity of people and the large amount of droplets generated. However, thanks to strictly following quarantine rules such as hand sanitizing, sitting apart, and temperature checks, there was almost no additional transmission despite confirmed cases visiting."

The cluster infection that spread through Itaewon clubs has confirmed 168 cases as of the afternoon of the previous day, including 2nd to 4th generation infected patients, after the first confirmed case on the 6th. Although this number is higher than the Guro Call Center cluster (166 cases), the largest cluster infection case in the metropolitan area, and despite thousands estimated to have been exposed to the source of infection, the health authorities judge that it is a stable management situation as no large-scale patients have emerged.

Head Park said, "The reason this cluster infection has not shown explosive outbreaks like before is thanks to the high vigilance and active response of the people." He also expressed gratitude to local governments that have made efforts to minimize community spread by utilizing all available resources to find contacts, conduct diagnostic tests, and issue orders such as bans on gatherings at entertainment facilities and infection testing orders.

At the meeting that day, measures for managing COVID-19 re-positive cases and support plans for transportation information of overseas arrivals were discussed. The implementation status and future plans of social distancing in daily life by local governments in Busan, Daegu, and Gyeongbuk were also reviewed. Head Park said, "COVID-19 will remain in our society for the time being and will persistently seek out our vulnerabilities. I hope people refrain from visiting enclosed and crowded multi-use facilities for the time being, and even if they do visit, I ask that they strictly follow daily quarantine rules such as maintaining distance, wearing masks, and washing hands."

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