9 Elderly Confirmed in Bulk in Sacheon, Gyeongnam... 20 Senior Centers Closed (Comprehensive)

Kim Myung-seop, spokesperson for Gyeongnam Province, is giving a COVID-19 briefing on the 10th.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-ho] In Sacheon, Gyeongnam, a large number of elderly people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), prompting health authorities to conduct an epidemiological investigation.

Gyeongsangnam-do announced on the 10th at 10 a.m. that 9 confirmed cases have occurred.

They are women in their 70s to 80s (cases 360 to 367), who were in contact with case 355, a woman in her 70s who tested positive on the 8th with an unknown infection route, at senior centers and other places. Only case 368, a man in his 60s, was infected through contact with case 357, an 80-year-old man and the spouse of case 355.

During the epidemiological investigation, case 355 could not accurately recall her movements, so her family and acquaintances were questioned to trace her travel route. As a result, tests were conducted on 9 people she frequently contacted at the senior center, with 6 testing positive and 3 negative.

Health authorities secured a statement that case 355 had not left the senior center since feeling unwell on the 23rd of last month, and will conduct comprehensive diagnostic tests on 17 people who used the senior center. The province has closed all 20 nearby senior centers.

Case 366 had a meal together at case 355’s home on the 6th, and case 367 came into contact with case 355 at her own store. Case 368, a man in his 60s, was infected through contact with case 357 at the Sacheon Namildae Hae Su World men’s bathhouse. Tests are being conducted on 50 identified individuals, with one confirmed positive so far.

The province dispatched an immediate response team to Sacheon City to conduct an in-depth epidemiological investigation. Since the confirmation of cases 355 and her spouse, 175 contacts and exposure cases have been tested in Sacheon, resulting in 11 confirmed cases so far. 163 tested negative, and the rest are pending results.

Kim Myung-seop, provincial spokesperson, said, “COVID-19 spreads rapidly with even slight negligence,” urging, “Please be sure to wear masks, wash hands, and follow quarantine rules such as social distancing in daily life.”

He added, “There have been cases of false information being spread suggesting that health authorities are deliberately concealing confirmed patients’ movement routes related to cluster infections,” and warned, “Malicious interference with quarantine efforts will be met with strong legal and administrative measures.”

Meanwhile, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases from a family cluster in Changwon City stands at 29. Out of 2,700 people tested so far, 2,647 were negative and 25 are awaiting results.

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