Ace Hope Care Center Gathering Ban Extended 1 Week After 67 Confirmed Cases

Dongdaemun-gu Extends Group Ban Order for 1 Week to Prevent COVID-19 Cluster Infections and Further Spread... Provides 2 Meals a Day via Care SOS Center to Prevent Care Gaps... Establishes a Tight Social Welfare Network

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Amid the recent surge in COVID-19 cases centered in the Seoul metropolitan area, Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) has issued a gathering ban order on Ace Hope Care Center, where a cluster infection occurred, to prevent further spread of the infection.

Dongdaemun-gu suspended the operation of Ace Hope Care Center on the 30th of last month due to confirmed cases. However, as the center was about to resume operations, the cumulative number of confirmed cases at Ace Hope Care Center reached 67 as of midnight on the 18th, continuing the cluster infection. Therefore, to ensure the safety of residents, the district decided to extend the gathering ban order for one week.

From the 22nd to the 29th of last month, Dongdaemun-gu proactively conducted comprehensive testing targeting 2,497 people across 65 high-risk facilities vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, including nursing hospitals, nursing homes, daycare centers, and psychiatric medical facilities.

Due to the gathering ban order, the district is minimizing care gaps for elderly residents in urgent need of care by coordinating with the Care SOS Center to provide non-face-to-face meals through delivery of two meals a day (including weekends), thereby strengthening the welfare network more thoroughly.

Additionally, since some of the confirmed cases related to Ace Hope Care Center have unclear infection routes, to prevent further spread of COVID-19, the Yongdu Cultural Welfare Center and Dongdaemun-gu Women’s Welfare Center, located within 250 meters of Ace Hope Care Center, will be closed from the 18th until the situation stabilizes.

Furthermore, following the enforcement of the mandatory mask-wearing administrative order and the elevation of social distancing to level 1.5 in the metropolitan area, the district plans to continuously visit nine types of priority management facilities, fourteen types of general management facilities, nursing facilities, and day and night care facilities to inspect mask-wearing compliance and adherence to COVID-19 prevention guidelines, striving to prevent recurrence and spread of cluster infections.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “It is very regrettable that a cluster infection has occurred at a daycare center, which is essential for the health recovery and emotional stability of the elderly. To prevent additional cluster infections, we have reluctantly extended the gathering ban order for one week. We will thoroughly ensure that there is no disruption in elderly care due to this order, and Dongdaemun-gu will mobilize all administrative resources with the safety of residents as the top priority to prevent recurrence of cluster infections and to overcome COVID-19.”

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