[Jeonbuk COVID-19] Epidemiological Investigation Noncooperation and Concealment... Legal 'Strong Response' Angered Public Sentiment

Kang Young-seok, Director of the Health and Medical Division, giving a briefing related to COVID-19. Photo by Jeonbuk Province

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Gominhyeong] In Jeonbuk, where COVID-19 is at a crossroads of rapid spread, cases have emerged where individuals concealed their movement paths during epidemiological investigations or delayed submitting the list of test subjects, causing difficulties for quarantine authorities' response.

As criticism arises that 'non-cooperation' in epidemiological investigations and quarantine leads to the spread of COVID-19 in the local community, stronger measures such as filing complaints are being reinforced.

Jeonbuk health authorities on the 20th estimated that the source of infection for Jeonbuk's 22nd confirmed COVID-19 case was Daejeon confirmed cases number 50 and 55, who visited Jeonju on the 12th.

On the 19th at 4 p.m., based on GPS tracking and other data sent from the Daejeon epidemiological investigation team to the Jeonbuk epidemiological investigation team, it was confirmed that Daejeon confirmed cases 50 and 55 dined at a first-floor restaurant in building A in Shinshigaji, Jeonju, from 5:15 p.m. to 5:44 p.m. on the 12th.

At the same time, the 22nd confirmed case in the province was also found to have dined next to them for about 5 minutes, which led Jeonbuk health authorities to estimate the Daejeon confirmed cases as the source of infection.

Until now, the province had concentrated administrative efforts on finding the infection source of the female high school student, but all attempts were in vain.

Ultimately, only rumors circulated that the female high school student was infected in Seoul, and the infection source remained a mystery.

Amid growing anxiety that the unclear infection source would further expand local infection spread, the infection source began to gradually emerge as Daejeon city identified their movement paths.

Daejeon confirmed case number 50 began showing symptoms on the 13th and was confirmed positive on the 16th, while number 55 began symptoms on the 14th and was confirmed on the 17th.

They are currently undergoing treatment, and during Daejeon's epidemiological investigation, they did not disclose their visit to Jeonju, but it was later confirmed through GPS data, which Daejeon city reported.

Additionally, it was confirmed that on the same day, the 12th, from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., they attended a door-to-door sales briefing with about 80 people on the 6th floor of building A in Shinshigaji, Jeonju.

Non-cooperation from the door-to-door sales briefing organizers is also becoming an obstacle to quarantine efforts, and legal actions by authorities are expected to follow.

A quarantine official from the province said, “The door-to-door sales briefing organizers provided only part of the list to the provincial epidemiological investigation, but CCTV verification of building visitors confirmed that about 80 people attended,” and added, “We will conduct a thorough investigation into concealment or non-cooperation and proceed with filing complaints under Article 18, Paragraph 3 of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.”

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