Infectious Disease Patients with Low Risk of Transmission Face Up to 1 Million KRW Fine for Refusing Transfer Measures

Amendment to the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act Enforcement Decree Passed at Cabinet Meeting
COVID-19 Patients Allowed Self-Treatment from the 13th Based on Doctor's Judgment

In August, medical staff at Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Anseong Hospital monitored the condition of hospitalized COVID-19 patients through screens. <이미지:Yonhap News>

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] In the future, if infectious disease patients refuse transfer (transfer to another hospital) measures, they will be fined 500,000 KRW. From the second refusal onward, the fine will be 1,000,000 KRW.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced that the amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act, which includes these details, was approved at the Cabinet meeting on the 6th. The same Act, which was amended last August, is set to be enforced from the 13th, and this time, detailed procedures and methods related to transfer measures and fine standards for refusal were decided. Unlike criminal penalties, fines allow administrative agencies to take prompt action based on their judgment.

This amendment was prepared to use hospital beds efficiently during infectious disease outbreaks. Infectious diseases that spread easily to those around, such as COVID-19, pose a risk of a rapid increase in patients within a short period. If patients who were admitted earlier occupy hospital beds despite having mild symptoms, there may be a shortage of beds for severely ill patients admitted later, preventing timely treatment. This amendment aims to prevent such situations.

According to the revised law, if COVID-19 patients with mild or no symptoms insist on inpatient treatment in isolation beds without a clear reason, refusing to be treated at residential treatment centers or through self-treatment, they will have to bear the cost of inpatient treatment themselves and also pay a fine. More than 80% of COVID-19 patients are mild or asymptomatic cases, but some have insisted on inpatient treatment in negative pressure isolation beds while refusing isolation facilities like residential treatment centers, and there was no legal basis for transfer in such cases.

Officials at the Seoul Namsan Living Treatment Center, established by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in June at the Seoul Youth Hostel in Jung-gu, Seoul, are preparing relief supplies for COVID-19 patients. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Transfer Measures Between Local Governments for Infectious Disease Patients Enabled
Compensation for Losses to Isolation Facility Providers Retroactive from August

For first-class infectious diseases like COVID-19, inpatient treatment in isolation beds was previously the principle, but going forward, treatment at home or in non-medical facilities will be possible based on a physician’s judgment. This requires the premise that there is little risk of transmission to others. Specific methods and procedures have been established, such as providing an independent space equipped with a shower and restroom and ensuring compliance with instructions from the local public health center.

The KDCA Commissioner can request basic local government heads to transfer or transport patients after considering the infectious disease outbreak situation and medical resource status. Accordingly, transfers within the jurisdiction or between metropolitan local governments (cities and provinces) are now possible. Previously, when COVID-19 patients surged in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk areas in February and March, patients were transferred to distant regions like Busan and Gwangju due to bed shortages. From now on, this will be institutionalized rather than relying on the 'goodwill' of local governments accepting patients from other regions.

Meanwhile, the amendment also includes provisions allowing basic local government heads to conduct epidemiological investigator training and create epidemiological investigation plans. It also contains provisions to compensate companies or institutions that have established isolation facilities for infectious disease treatment, such as residential treatment centers, for losses incurred due to the inability to use the facilities for their original purposes. This compensation applies retroactively to facilities used since August 12.

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