Mokpo Reports 15th Confirmed Case, 'High Alert'

Husband of a Woman in Her 70s from Mokpo Tests Positive

(Illustration by Hong Jaehee, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seung-hyun Jeong] A man in his 70s, Mr. A, living in Seokhyeon-dong, Mokpo City, tested positive for COVID-19 on the morning of the 9th, triggering an emergency in the local community.

According to Mokpo City, Mr. A is the husband of a woman in her 70s, Ms. B, who tested positive for COVID-19 on the 8th. It is presumed that the couple was infected with COVID-19 through contact with relatives living outside the area during the Chuseok holiday.

On the first day of the holiday, the 30th of last month, four people including family and acquaintances living in Gwangju visited the couple's home around 4 p.m. and stayed for about an hour. On the 4th, three nephews living in Incheon visited, and one of them stayed overnight at the couple's home before leaving.

The confirmed couple went to a pharmacy in Nongsong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju on the 6th, with the husband driving, to purchase health supplements and then returned home.

On the 7th, due to the wife's dizziness, they visited Mokpo Central Hospital at 5:20 p.m., and around 5:40 p.m., while receiving treatment in the emergency room, she was classified as a suspected COVID-19 patient, underwent diagnostic testing, and was confirmed positive around 9 a.m. on the 8th.

Mokpo City urgently conducted diagnostic tests on a total of 42 people, including family members who had contact with the 14th confirmed patient, hospital staff, and emergency room patients. Currently, 36 have tested negative, and 6 are undergoing additional testing.

Mayor Kim Jong-sik of Mokpo stated in a press release, "This is a case suspected to be infected through contact during the holiday period, and now is the most critical time to block further transmission in the community. We urge citizens who have visited other regions or have had contact with many people in multi-use facilities and show symptoms to get tested promptly."

The cumulative number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Jeollanam-do has increased to 175, including 136 local infections and 39 imported cases. This is the first local infection in eight days since the confirmed case in Suncheon on the 30th of last month.

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