Comprehensive COVID-19 Testing for 160,000 Staff at Elderly and Psychiatric Hospitals in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (Summary)

Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters "Proactive Strengthening of Precision Quarantine for High-Risk Groups"
Mid-month Review of Expanding Tests in Metropolitan Area by Region, Target, and Frequency

On the afternoon of the 14th, a confirmed patient is being transferred at Haetteurak Nursing Hospital in Mandeok-dong, Buk-gu, Busan.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The quarantine authorities have decided to conduct COVID-19 testing on approximately 160,000 individuals, including workers at elderly nursing hospitals, nursing facilities, psychiatric hospitals, and users of elderly day care centers in the Seoul metropolitan area. This is a proactive measure targeting high-risk groups where infection could lead to significant casualties. Testing will first be conducted in the metropolitan area around mid-month, followed by consideration of expanding the testing regions or target groups based on risk assessment.

According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters on the 14th, it is estimated that there are about 130,000 workers at elderly nursing hospitals or psychiatric hospitals and about 30,000 users of day care centers in the metropolitan area. The quarantine authorities expect the diagnostic testing to take about a week. Patients admitted to elderly nursing hospitals or psychiatric hospitals are not subject to testing.

However, if confirmed cases are found during this testing, all personnel at the affected facilities, including staff and users, will undergo diagnostic testing. Currently, some facilities such as nursing hospitals support diagnostic testing with health insurance coverage only for new admissions.

A nursing hospital in Seoul. At the end of August, health authorities took measures to ban visits to nursing hospitals or facilities where high-risk groups stay. <이미지:Yonhap News>

The testing will be conducted jointly by the Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters and local governments including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, with the Seoul Metropolitan Disease Response Center, established alongside the launch of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, playing a central role in assisting each city and province in formulating detailed plans. A system is in place for the Disease Response Center to respond immediately if confirmed cases arise. The Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters explained, "This is a measure to proactively strengthen precise quarantine for high-risk groups following the end of the Chuseok special quarantine measures and the easing of social distancing."

Based on the results of this testing, the authorities plan to assess the risk level around nursing facilities and consider expanding the testing targets or regions. A representative from the Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters said, "We plan to evaluate the positivity rate among the entire testing population and examine whether it is possible to expand the regions or add more targets, as well as whether periodic evaluations can be conducted rather than a one-time test."

On the morning of the 14th, Busan Haetteurak Nursing Hospital entered cohort isolation.

First Patient at Busan Nursing Hospital Showed Symptoms on Night of the 8th
Confirmed Positive on the 13th after Retesting... 264+α Undergoing Testing

At Haetteurak Nursing Hospital in Mandeok-dong, Busan, a nursing assistant was confirmed positive yesterday, and subsequent diagnostic testing of staff and patients has so far identified 53 confirmed cases. Since late last month, confirmed cases have been steadily reported in the area, mainly in restaurants and bathhouses, prompting Busan city to strengthen quarantine measures. However, following the occurrence of a large-scale cluster infection, full testing of nursing hospitals in the area has been decided.

The infection route within this nursing hospital has not yet been identified. According to quarantine measures, visits have been prohibited, but since there are staff members like the initially confirmed nursing assistant who commute to work, the possibility of infection cannot be completely ruled out. Authorities confirmed that this nursing assistant worked late into the night on the 8th and subsequently did not work after developing symptoms such as fever.

According to the quarantine authorities, the patient had a fever around 11 p.m. when leaving work on the 8th but did not get tested as symptoms disappeared the next day. Later, on the 10th, the patient had a mild fever and underwent diagnostic testing. The test results came out on the 12th but required retesting, and the patient was confirmed positive on the 13th. Authorities are currently testing 264 patients currently admitted and staff, and are reviewing whether additional testing is needed for recently discharged patients or external staff.

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