Gwangju's Top Contributor to COVID-19 Containment: 'Gwangju Saenghwal Treatment Center'

Mayor Lee Yong-seop: "We Will Do Our Best to Prevent Regional Spread Without Letting Our Guard Down"

Gwangju City Hall

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] The residential treatment centers operated by Gwangju Metropolitan City as a measure to prevent COVID-19 are playing a key role as ‘top contributors’ by effectively blocking overseas inflow and preventing community spread.

As the number of confirmed cases among overseas arrivals surged, Gwangju City proactively issued a special administrative order stronger than government guidelines and, since the end of February, quarantined all overseas arrivals arriving in Gwangju at residential treatment centers.

In particular, even asymptomatic individuals are quarantined in the facilities without exception, and only after testing negative are they allowed to switch to self-quarantine, implementing proactive management measures for incoming travelers.

The residential treatment centers were initially designated and operated at the Fire Academy dormitory, which Gwangju City had used as a facility to isolate those who had direct contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases. As quarantine demand increased, since last month, three locations have been operated: the 5·18 Education Center, the Small and Medium Business Corporation Honam Training Center, and the Fire Academy dormitory.

Among these, the Small and Medium Business Corporation Honam Training Center was operated only until last month due to a decrease in demand from overseas arrivals.

These residential treatment centers are managed under the overall responsibility of the Citizen Safety Office’s Safety Policy Officer, with a director and five working teams formed. About 40 personnel including public officials, medical staff, volunteers, and police officers are deployed daily to work on-site 24 hours a day.

Staff at each center provide convenience to quarantined individuals by conducting health screenings upon admission, supplying relief items (blankets, toiletries, thermometers, etc.), providing meals, medical support (twice daily checks), specimen collection tests, and discharge procedures to ensure no inconvenience.

Over the three months of operation, a total of 1,741 people were admitted to the three centers, and 1,708 were discharged.

During this period, four new confirmed cases among overseas arrivals quarantined at the first residential treatment center, the Fire Academy dormitory, were detected early.

This strengthened special administrative order for overseas arrivals is evaluated as an effective measure that fundamentally blocked the inflow of overseas COVID-19 infections.

Gwangju City plans to continue operating the residential treatment centers until the end of COVID-19, judging that continuous management is necessary as arrivals from Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia continue steadily.

Additionally, citizens selected for the residential quarantine job project will be deployed to operate the centers, promoting cooperation between public officials and citizens to overcome the infectious disease.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, “I thank the numerous medical staff, public officials, and volunteers who are working on the front lines without rest even on holidays against COVID-19,” and added, “Until COVID-19 ends, we will do our best to maintain strict quarantine and management of overseas arrivals to prevent community spread without letting our guard down.”

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