Continued COVID-19 Spread Centered in the Seoul Metropolitan Area... Additional Pediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Cases Reported

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Recently, clusters of COVID-19 outbreaks have been occurring one after another in nursing facilities and hospitals, mainly in the Seoul metropolitan area, resulting in a surge of confirmed cases. The third pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome patient has also been newly identified in South Korea.

The Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH) announced on the 31st at 12 noon that eight residents of a nursing facility for the elderly in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, have tested positive for COVID-19 and are currently receiving treatment. The CDCH explained, "All eight confirmed cases, including the index patient, are residents of the facility," adding, "Through proactive testing targeting high-risk facilities, confirmed cases have been identified since yesterday."

A cluster outbreak was also confirmed at a hospital located in Songpa-gu. Since the first confirmed case on the 28th, eight additional people tested positive during contact tracing, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to nine. Related to Lucky Sauna in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the number of confirmed cases increased by five from the previous day, reaching a cumulative total of 33. In the case related to a visiting teacher in Eunpyeong-gu, three more confirmed cases were added during contact tracing, totaling 16 cases.

Regarding the 'SRC Rehabilitation Hospital' in Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi Province, three additional confirmed cases were identified among those in quarantine, bringing the cumulative total to 150. In Seongnam-si, 12 more confirmed cases related to Bundang Middle School were reported in one day, and six additional cases were confirmed related to a textile company in Yangju-si. Outside the metropolitan area, five more confirmed cases were added related to Daegu Yesu Center Church in Seo-gu, Daegu, bringing the total to 27.

The CDCH reported that as of 4 p.m. the previous day, 715 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment at 64 hospitals nationwide were administered 'Remdesivir,' a therapeutic drug.

On the same day, the CDCH also announced that one more pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome patient has been identified domestically, marking the third case in South Korea. The CDCH stated, "Epidemiological investigations, laboratory tests, and expert meetings have been conducted on eight reported cases so far. In early October, two cases were confirmed to meet the criteria for pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, and since then, one more case has been added, totaling three confirmed cases."

The third patient is a 13-year-old girl who contracted COVID-19 through contact with a confirmed case and was admitted to a residential treatment center from the 8th to the 18th of last month before being discharged. Subsequently, she developed symptoms such as fever and diarrhea and was hospitalized on the 13th of this month. On the 15th, she was reported as a suspected pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome patient. The CDCH stated, "The patient is currently recovering steadily."

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